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)UTiES OF A Christian
TOWARDS GOD
BEING AN IMPROVED VERSION OF THE
ORIGINAL TREATISE ^
WRITTKN BY THE
BLESSED J. B. DE LA. SALLE
FOUNDER OP THE CHEISTIAN SCHOOLS
Tim CHAPTERS AND ARTICLES ARE FOLLOWED BY HLSTORICAL
KXAMPLES RELATI^-TG TO THE TRUTHS
CONTAINED THEUEIX
BY F. P. B.
Authorized, by tlie Council of Public Ins! ruction ami approvfd.by
His Grace the Aichbisliop of Paris, liy His Graco
the Archbishop of Tours &c.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH
I?T THE BROTHERS OP THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
APPROVKD HY his LORDSHIP THK BISHOP OF MONTREAL
—?-£=» 5=^:.:=.^
MONTREAL
44 Cote Street, 44.
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A NEW TREATISE
OP THE
DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN
TOWARDS GOD
BEING AN IMPROVED VERSION OP THB
ORIGINAL TREATISE
WHITTEN BY THE
V^EN. DE LA SALLE
POUNDSB OF THE OHBISTIAN BOHOOLM
the chapters and articles are followed b¥
historical examples relating to the
truths contained therein
By F. p. B.
aOTHOBized btthecouncil op public instedctiob
and approved by his grace the archbishop op paris
by his grace the abp- of toues
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH
BY THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS
APPROVED BY HIS LORDSHIP THE BISHOP OF MUNTREAI.
MONTREAL
44 COTE STREET, 44.
I
A^AR 3 0 1957
Entftref: accordinsf to Act of the ParlronT^nt of Canada, in
the year 1869. by B. E. Ga.gnon, in the office of the Minister
of Agriculture.
APPROBATION
DE MGR. 1.ARCHEVEQIJE DE PARIS.
Htacinthe Loots de Quelen, par la misericorde divine et la
grace du Saint-Siege apostolique. Archeveque de Paris,
etc.
Nous avons autorise et autorisons par ces presentes la
publication d'un livre de format in-12, ayant pour titre :
NouvEAU Traite drs Devoirs du Chretien enters Dieu.
ETC., de I'imprimerie de Poussielgue, a Paris. Get ouvrage,
qui a ete soumis a notre examen, nous a paru propre a
faire bien connaitre, aimer, et pratiquer les priaciijaux
devoLi's de la vie chretienne, et a premunir les jeunes gens,
contre les pieges tendus de tous cotes a T innocence.
Donne a Paris, sous le seing de notre vicaire general, le
sceau de nos armes et le contre-seing de noire secretaire,
le dix-huit octobre mil huit cent trente-sept.
J. LE SUERE,
Vicaire G6n6raL
Par mandement de Monseigneur 1' Archeveque de Paris
MOLINIER,
Chanoine SecrAtav'c
APPROBATION OF THE ENGLISH EDITION
BT
HIS LORDSHIP THE BISHOP OF MONTREAL.
We have examined the New Treatise of the Dttties op a
Chkistian towards God, and finding it conformable to the
teaching of the holy Chm'ch, we joyfully authorize its
pubhcation.
The fact that the work has received the approbation of
several of the higher Ecclesiastical Authorities of Fi-ance,
and has passed through twenty-six editions, excludes the
necessity of our eulogizing its excellence.
Cxiven at our iJpiscopal Residence this 2nd of January,
A. D. 1869.
+ IG., BISHOP OF MONITIEAI.
PREFACE.
WHAT AM I ? WHAT SHALL BECOMR OF ME ?
Questions so serious and so important that tlie
tiuly wise and prudent will never treat them incon-
siderately, fully convinced that errors on matters
of so vital a nature may become most fatal and
may be followed by irreparable consequences.
The idea of our existence and that of God are so
intimately connected that we can not reflect on the
former without being strongly impressed by the lat-
ter. Nothing exists but by hlm who is, and who is
of HIMSELF. It is in Him that we have being, life,
and reason. He has created us by his almighty
power; He preserves us in his unbounded good-
ness; He governs us by his beneficent providence.
It is, consequently, a stringent dnty incumbent on
us all to render Him the sincere homage of our
woT-ship ; his pre-eminent existence demands it. A
God, a religion, a rational being, — the latter can not
exist without the former. The idea of religion is
as natural to man as that of God himself; the
child on his mother's knee, receives its impression
with docility ; the young man embarking on the
stormy sea of the world, acknowledges it as his
unvarying compass ; and the man bowed under
the weight of years, finds his consolation m its
salutary precepts Let the furious tempest of the
VI PRKFAtHE.
passions be calmed, and all men will be found
marshalled beneath the standard of Religion.
This Treatise, as shall be seen, is an exposition
of the truths which a Christian must believe ; of
the duties he is obliged to practise ; and of the
means he has in his power to obtain the grace to
persevere in virtue and to attain the end for which
he has been created. Historical examples and
sundry questions are appended to its several divi-
sions. These latter, if jwdiciously used, will stim-
ulate the attention of the pupils, accustom them to
reflect on what they read, and engrave more in-
delibly on their memory that science which leads
to eternal bliss, and compared with which the wis-
dom of this worla is nothing but ignorance and
fully.
An Epitome on Christian Politeness, principally
from the Ven. De la Salle's " Civility Chretienne,"
is also appended to the " Duties." The limited
space does not allow its embracing numerous
matters to which attention might profitably be
drawn ; but sufficient, it is hoped, has bceu said
to induce those for whom it is intended, to behave
with decorum in society, and to render their daily
actions worthy their exalted character and agree-
able to Him to whom even the minutest of them
should be consecrated.
Montreal, Dec. 8th. 1868r
CONTENTS.
AppR0i5 \ noN, iii
Ajtrobation of the English Edition, iv
Preface, v
Introduction. — Necessity of Religion and Obligation
of Studying it, J
BOOK FIEST.— OF THE KNOWLEDGE AND
LOVE OF GOD.
PART FIRST. — OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
CHAP. L Of the Creed as an Abridgment op the
Truths of Faith, 7
Sect. L Of the Creed in general, ib.
— 2. Of the Necessity of Revelation, 9
— 3. Of the Existence of God, 13
- 4. Of the Unity of God 16
— 5. Of the Perfections of God, 18
— &. Of the Blessed Trinity, , 25
— 7. Of the Creation, 29
CHAP. n. Of the Angels and of ]\Ien, 32
Sect. 1 . Of the Angels, ib.
— 2. Of Man, 35
— 3. 0/ the Immortality of the Soul, ........... 36
— A. Of the Fall of Man, 38
CHAP. in. — Sect. 1. Of the Promise of a Redeemer, 42
Sect. 2. Of the Develojrment of the Promises, 44
CHAP. IV. — Sect. 1 . Of the Incarnation, 49
Sect. 2. Of the Birth of Jesus Christ, 54
— 3. Of the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, 57
— ^. Of the Life of Jesus Christ — His Miracles, 60
— 5. Of the Virtues of our Lord, 63
CHA.P. v.— Sect. 1. Of Christ's Passion, 66
Sect. 2. Of Chrisfs Death and Burial, 72
CHAP. VI. — Sect. 1. Of Christ's Descent into Limbo, 74
Sect. 2. Of the Re-mrrcciion, 75
CHAP. VII. Of Christ's ascension, 78
— VIH. Op Christ's Second Coming, 81
Sect. 1 . Of Death, ib.
— 2, Of Judgment, 85
^ii CONTENTS.
Page.
ClIAP. IX. Of tue Holy (Juost, : 88
— X. — Skct. 1. Of tuk Churcb, 90
Sect. 2. Constancy of the Martijrs, 95
— 3. Of the Marks of the Church, 98
— 4:. Of the Authority of the ChiirLh, 102
— 5. Of Salvation out of the Church, 104
— 6. Of the Coni7nunion cf Saints, 109
CIIAl'. XT. *0f the Fokgiveness of Sins, 112
— XII. Of THE ReSUKRECTION OF THE BoD\ 114
— XIII. Of Life Everlasting, 117
Sect. 1. Of Purgatory, 118
— 2. Of Heaven, 121
— 3. Of Hell, 125
CHAP. XIV. Of Professing One's Faith, and of the
Sign of the Cross, 127
part second. — of the love of god and of
our neighbor.
CHAP. I. Of the Commandjients op God in General,^ IJQ'
— II. Op the First Commandment, 131
Sect. 1. Of Faith, 132
— 2. Of Hope, 135
— 3. Of Charitii, 139
— 4. Of Adoration, ? • . . 144
— 5. Of Respect due to the House of God, 148-
CHAP. UI. Op the SECo>rD Commandment, 150>
— IV. Op the Third Commandment, 154
— V. Of the Fourth Command.ment, 157
— VI. Op the Fifth Commandment, 163
— VII. Op the Sixth Commandment, 168
— Vni. Op the Seventh Commandment, 173
— IX. Op the Eighth Commandment 176
— X. Of the Ninth Commandment. 181
— XL Of the Tenth Commandment, 183
— XII. Of the Precepts of the Church, 187
Sect. 1. Of the First Precept, 188
— 2. Of the Hearing of Mass, 191
— 3. Of the Second Precept, 192
— 4. Of the Third Precept, 197
— 5. Of the Fourth Precept, 200
— 6. Of the Fifth Precept, 203
— 1. Of the Sixth Precept, 204
CHAP. Xlli. Op Sin, 206
— XFV, Of the Capital Sins, 208
OONTENTS. IX
Page
■Sect. I. Of Pride, 209
— 2. Of Covelottsness, 212
— 3. Of Lust, 214
— 4. Of Anger, 216
— 5. Of Glniionij, 218
— 6. OfEnni, 221
— 7. Of Sloth, 223
BOOK SECOND.— OF THE SACRMIENTS AND
OF PRAYER.
PART FIRST. - OF THE SACRAMENTS.
PRELunNARY Instruotion. On Grace, 227
.CHAP. I. Op the Sacramp^nts in General, 230
— II. Op Baptis.m, 233
Sect. 1. Of the NecessUy of Baptism, ib.
— 2. Of the Admiimiration of Baptism, 235
— 3. Of Hie Ceremonies of Baptism, 237
— 4. Of the Promises made at Baptism, 241
iCHAP. III.— .Sect. 1. Of the Nature and Effects of
Confirmation, 243
Sect. 2. Of the Dispositions for Confirmation, . . ■ 246
— 3. Of the Obligations of Confirmation, 247
CHAP. IV. Op the Blessed Eucharist, 251
Sect. 1. Of Transubsiantiation, ib.
— 2. Of the Dispositions for Ueceiving the Holy
Eucharist, 253
— 3. Of the Effects of the Holy Eucharist, 257
— 4. Of an Unworthy Communion, 259
— 5. Of Frequent Communion 262
— 6. Of the Sacrifice of the Mass, 265
CHAP. V. Of Penance, 268
Sect. ]. Of the Nature, &c., of Penance, ib.
— 2. Of Contrition, 271
— S. Of Pwpose of Amendment, 274
— 4:. Of Confession, 278
— 5. Of Examination of Conscience, 280
— 6. Of Sacrilegious Confession, 282
— 7. Of the manner of Confessing, 285
— ?>. Of Satisfaction, 287
— ^- Of Indulgences, 289
CHAP. VI. Of Extresie Unction, 292
— VII. Of Holy Orders, 295
— VHl, Op Matrimony, 298
X OONTENTS.
PART SECOND. — OF PRAYER.
Pag«
(MAP. I. Op Prateii in General, 302
Sect. 1. Of the Necessity of Prayer, ib.
— 2. Of the Efficacy of Prayer, 305
— 3. Of the Conditions of Prayer, 308
CHAP. II. Of the Lord's Prater, 3J0
Sect. 1. Ofiohat we should ask of God, , ib.
— 2. Of the First Petition, 313
— 3. Of the Second Petition, 315
— 4. Of the Third Petition, 317
— 5. Of the Fourth Petition, 319
— 6. Of the Fifth Petition, 321
— 1. Of the Sixth Petition, 323
— 8. Of the Seventh Petition, 325
CHAP. HI. Of the Angelical Salutation. — Devotion
TO THE Blessed Virgin Mary, 328
Conclusion. — Of the Happiness of Servinjj Gcqd, 333
APPENDIX.
CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.
SECTION I. — General Observations, 339
Duties of Parents— Duties of Children — Cleanliness— Sleep-
Food— Duties of Man as a member of Society- Recreation
SECTION II. — Necessity and Advantages of Polite-
ness, 341
Of attention to little things— The heart the source of true Po-
liteness—Of the practice of Politeness towards the members
of one's own family— Selfishness and want of tempQi — Th*
Duke of Burgundy— St. Francis de Sales.
PART I.
OF MODESTY IN THE EXTERIOR.
CHAPTER I.— Deportment, 346
Natural position and motions of the body— An air of dignity,
when regulated by humility and the other Christian virtues,
bears a relation to the dignity of Grod— Standing— Sitting—
CONTENTS. XI
Pagt
Entering an apartment — Meeting acquaintances in the
streets— Modes of Salutation
-,1IAPTER II.— Of the IIkad, 348
Gesticulation with the head— Putting the hand to the head-
Bowing— A moderate care of the hair consistent with Chris-
tian modesty and a mark of politeness.
CIIAl'TER III.— Of the Countenance, 349
The face the mirrorof the soul— The expression of the counte-
nance to be varied with eirp.umstances Of re.=ig-nation un-
der crosses— The weak-minded in adversity— Those who are
easily borne away by the tumult of passion, the plague of
their children and domestics -Attention to cleanliness— At-
tention to the presence of God— Its influence on the e.xpres-
sion of the countenance
CHAPTER IV.— The Countenance (continued).
Of the Forehead. 351
'I he wrinkling of the brows a sign of haughtiness — Modesty
the mostbecomingomament of a Christian— The noblest re-
venge of a Christian is to benr injuries with patience -How
revenge was regarded by the ancients— By pardoning an inju-
ry we convert au enemy into a friend.
CHAPTER V. — The Countenance (continued).
Of the Eyes and Looks, 352
The eyes the windows of the soul— Fixing the eyes boldly on
others— \'acant gazing -Faults to be avoided— Final destiny
of the organ of sight.
CHAPTER VI. — Concluding Observations on the
Countenance, 353
Improprieties in the use of the pocket-handkerchief— Smok-
ing—SnutF-taking— Yawning— Sneezing, (fee— Cramming the
mouth when eating, besides being impolite, is a mark of
greediness— Making unnecessary noise when drinking tea,
soup, ,kc.
CHAPTER VIL— Of Articulation, 355
The tone to be suited to the size of the place or room — Too
high a tone indicative of arrogance— Too low a tone indica-
tive of childish timidity — Roughness of tone and effeminacy
of voice— Defective utterance— A mode of correcting defective
articulation.
CHAPTER Vin. — Of the Bout in reference to its
Attitudes, 356
Posture or the Body— Motion of the arms when walking-
Shrugging theshoulders— The troublesome and importunate
to be got rid of without wounding their feelings — Shaking of
hands— Pointing with the linger— Making a crackling noise
with the fingers— Paring the nails— Rules for walking— Faults
to be guarded against
PART II.
OF di::gorum in ordinary actions.
CHAPTER I.— Of rising and Going to Rest, 358
Early rising— Its advantages Man born to labor — What
lihould be done on awaking— What should be do'-e on retiring
t» rest.
2UI OONTBNTS.
Pag«
CIIAPTEJI II.— Op Dressing and Undressing, 359
Dress should not be an incitement to vanity— Slovenliness to
be avoided-
CHAPTER III.— Dress, 360
Tbe dress should be neat and suitable to the age and station
of the wearer— Fondness for dress often leads to ruinous ex-
penses—Singularity in dress— Fashion— Dicss of (ne poor-
How the hat should be worn, how it should be takon off and
how disiwsed of when standing, sitting, entering an appart-
uient, <tc.
CHAPTER rV.— The Table, 362
Speaking ofFood— Food to be taken wilh moderation- Drink-
ing—Taking a place at table— Saying Grace— Rules to be ob
served at table — Summary of the Duiics of a young person
at table— Remarks, hints, &c. <fec.
CHAPTER v.— Visits, .... 370
Visits to be neither idle nor useless— Visits ofceremonv-
Rules for visiting and for receiving and'entertaining visitors.
CHAPTER VI.— Recreation, 372
A portion of each day to be spent in recreation— Amuseuients
must not transgress the limits which moderation prescribes
—The mental or physical defects of others are not fitting sub-
jects for merriment or amusement— Of walking as a recrea-
tion—Of singing.
CHAPTER VII.— Conversation, 374
Of conversation as a means of acquiring information— Con-
versation often productive of serious evils.
Section I.— Truth, 375
Section II. — Means of rendering conversation agree-
able, 376
Section HI. — Of profane and unchaiitable language, 377
Section IV. — Of discretion in the use of words, . . . 379
CHAPTER Vin. — Of the Importunate and Conten-
tious, 381
Talking of one's adventures— Rude replies — Disputes— Mode
of dealing with the contentious— Interrupting another while
he is speaking.
CHAPTER IX.— Of Compliments, 383
Compliments must be sincere— Should be well-timed-
CHAPTER X.— Of Reading, 384
The most important reading is that upon religious subjects—
The next in importance is that which relates to one's trade
or profession.
CHAPTER XL— Of the Choice of Books, . .'^87
CHAPTER XIL— Of Letter writting, 391
CHAPTER XIIL— Of the Choice of Companions, .... 394
Dangers of Bad Company — Alipius — Virtuous Companion-
ship—St Gregory and St. Basil- Othermodels for young per-
sons-
THE SCHOLAR'S REGULATION During Vmation, 403
THE
DUTIES or A CHrxISTIAN.
INTEODUCTION.
RELIGION — ITS NECESSITY, AND THE OBLIGATION
OF STUDYING IT.
The existence of the universe, and that ineffable order,
harmony, magnificence, and beauty, which pervade its
every part, proclaim, in accents which can not be resisted,
that there is an omniscient and omnipotent Being. Who
can contemplate the starry heavens, the pleasing vicissi-
tudes of the seasons, the variegated earth, the patliless
ocean, — in a word, all nature, without believing in the
existence of a Being who "is wise in heart, and mighty
uistrength....who doth things great, and incomprehensible,
and wonderful, of which there is no number;" who
"stretched out the north over the empty space, and hangeth
the earth upon nothing ? The pillars of heaven tremble,
and dread at his beck. Lo 1 these things are said in part
of his ways : and seeing we have heard scarce a Uttle drop
of his word, who shall be able to behold the thunder of his
greatness?"*
That Being is God — who having created all things by a
single act of his divine will, rules them according to the
eternal laws of his infinite wisdom. Of all visible creatures,
man alone is endowed with understanding and free-will;
he alone is capable of knowing, willing, and loving : and
God, who has conferred these facilities on him, strictly
requires that they be employed in promoting the divine
honor and glory.
• Job, IX, 4, 6, 8, 10, and xxvi, 7, 11. 14.
2 INTRODITOTION.
These truths, which are obvious to the most untutored
pli'beiun, as well as to the proud philosopher, prove
convincingly the necessity of a religion. It were vain to
imagine that God is too great, too elevated, to take an
interest in the honor rendered Him by man. God, it is
true, needs not our homage ; but being inlinitely just. He
requires what is conformable to reason and good order;
tiow, what can be more consonant with both, than that the
creature honor his Creator, and render Him a grateful
and affectionate service ?
Can a father dispense his children from the love and
obedience which they owe him ? God is our Father. His
infinite goodness demands the willing tribute of our
gratitude ; his omnipotence, our service ; but the endearing
quality of Father, our respect, veneration, and love. All
the advantages and biessmgs, wnother of nature or grace,
with which He enriches us, come from his liberal hand ;
and He has others yet in reserve, of which the Scripture
speaks m the following terms: — "Eye hath not seen, nor
ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man,
what things God hath prepared for them that love Him."*
Is it not, then, with justice, that God exacts from us the
most heartfelt love, the most religious worship V
This worship ought to be internal, comprehending all
the powers of the soul ; external, that the body may
concur with the soul in worshipping God ; and public, that
man, destmed for society, may, in concert, magnify and
adore Him who has created all.
Without a settled form of worship, reUgion could not
long subsist among men, since they require the aid oi
mutual edification to stimulate one another to the practice
of their duties. Hence, men have, from the beguuiing, been
accustomed to assemble for divine worship, and we, every-
where, find the Deity adored in tlie name of all tlie people.
The same light which discovers to man the existence
of a Supreme Being, on whom he is entirely dependant,
reveals to him also Ins obligation of paying Him divine
nonor. The form of divine worship, although diflering
• 1 Cor., ii, 9
mTR0DD0T10^. 3
in different nations, has, in principle, been everywhere
the same, — namely, the necessity of honoring the Supreme
Being — the Creator and Sovereign Lord of the universe.
To believe in the existence of God, in the mimortaUty of
the soul, and in the rewards and pimishments of a future
life, and yet, to live as if one did not believe in them, is an
inconsistency which can spring only from the extreme of
folly, i^'norance, or licentiousness.
The most formidable enemies of religion are, blindness
of ttiind and depravity of heart. Were reUgion better
known, unbelievers would be fewer ; and there would be
none, if men were free from all criminal passions. But
neither the darkness of error in the mind, nor the violence
of passion in the heart, can disttu'b the reality of that
whose existence is antecedent to, and independent of, the
one and the other. Now, the universe, with all it comprises,
the unanimous consent of nations, and the consciousness
of every individual, are so many strUdng evidences bearing
testimony to this fundamental dogma— the existence of
God. The three powers of the soul, the memory, the
understanding, and the will, are so many irrefragable proofs
of its spiiituality, and, consequently, of its immortahty.
Such being the case, how unaccoimtable is the stupid
indifference and fatal insensibility of those who, without
either pi'ecaution or fear, advance with rapid strides towards
ziiat final term — the hour of death, in wliich shall be decided
their eternal lot 1
Of the knowledge of the whole circle of the sciences.
Religion is the most important for man. In prosperity, it
moderates liis joy ; in adversity, it sustains his di'ooping
spu'its. It remmds him that time is nothing, that eternity
is the great all. It secures the tranquillity of states, by
making him obedient to the established authorities, and
that not so much through fear, as through a motive of duty.
It forms the clement prince, the equitable magistrate, the
faithful subject, the just and considerate master, the trusty
and obedient servant, the steadfast friend. It forbids not
only the stealing of another's goods, but even the unjust
lU'sire of llu'iu; :m'l fuiihrr. it <.-i 'iiiiii mh U u-- lo -Iiul'
4 rNTRODUOnON.
our substance with our poorer fellow-creatui'es, so ttat
our abundance may supply their want. It not only con-
demns murder and revenge, but enjoins us to love our
enemies, to forgive uijui-ies, to do good to them that hate
us, to bless them that curse us, to pray for them that
persecute and calumniate us.* Struck with the sublimity
of this doctrine, Montesquieu cries out, — "Astonishing fact !
that religion, which seems designed for another world,
should, notwithstandmg , constitute man's happmess in
this. " Even the impious and infamous Voltaire acknowl-
edges that " society, without religion, would be a den of
ferocious beasts."
Nothuig, therefore, is more important for man than
the study of religion: religion itself makes this study
imperative on us. It requii-es that we study its precepts ;
and, wliUe it enjoins an impUcit faith in its dogmas, it
ordains that we be able to give an account of the fivith
that is in us. Unhappy they, who, blasphemmg what thoy
laiow not, dare to decry as popular prejudice, truths the
most certam and most worthy of respect; truths which the
most gifted have adopted, after cai'eful investigation,
heedless of the sacritices and consequences which their
adhesion would necessarily entail.
You who are about to enter the world, be ever mindful
of the precepts of the Church j be faithful to your duties,
and do not suffer yourselves to be drawn aside from the path
of rectitude and virtue, though the impious and indifferent
should scoff at your generous and noble lidelity to the
commands of God and his Chm'ch.
Read such books as wiQ instruct you thoroughly in the
trutlis of reUgion : the better you are instructed, the firmer
will be your faith; the more you study religion, the more
impressed shall you be with its divine beauty and heavenly
miction. Be not dazzled by the vain sophistries of the
infidel : neither accept blasphemy for reason, nor raillery
for proof. Shun bad company, for " evU communications
corrupt good mannei's ! " t "Decline from evil, und do
' Luke, VI, 35, and Matt., t, 4i \ 1 Cor., zv, 33.
LVTROUUCTION. 5
good ; " * — thus shall you, to the end, preserve, pure and
unsuUied, the precious treasure of faith.
If, however, you have had the misfortune of straying
from your duty, return without delay to Him who, with
outstretched arms, awaits you, and who never rejects those
thiit seek Him with a contrite and humble heart : sacrifice
not, dear youth, your eternal interests at the shi'ine of vile
and contemptible human respect.
An vmhappy Christian, having nothing of Christianity but
Baptism, and who had either never learned his catechism,
or had forgotten it, made it his particular request (doubtless
Crom a sentiment of humility — the fruit of a sincere
conversion), that the following epitaph should be engraved
on his tombstone : — " Here lies a fool, who departed this
world without ever having sought to loiow why he had been
sent into it. " — CATECmsM op the Churches of Framcf
A dintinguished officert in the United States' Army,
who passed for an atheist, had a daughter dangerously
ill. The poor girl had, apparently, but few moments to
live. She called for her father, and, clasping his hand
in hers, said in accents the most touching: "Dearest
father, I am about to expire ; tell mc, then, I beseech you,
whether 1 am to believe what I have so frequently heard
you affirm, that there is neither a God, a Heaven, nor a
hell ; or to believe the consoling truths of the Catechism,
which I have learned from the lips of my beloved mother."
The officer, struck with amazement at these words, re-
mained for some moments in melancholy silence. At
length, leaning over the bed of his dying child, he said in
a voice broken with sobs : "My daughter, my own darling
daughter, believe that alone which thy mother has taught
thee.'" The astonishment of the by standers, many of
whom were infidels, may be easily imagined. One of them,
who had long since abjured his religion, having been ast <?d
• 1 Peter, iii, 11. t Colonel E. Allen, tLe hero of Ticonderog/
8 OfTKOUOOTlON.
what he thought of the matter, gravely replied that it was
more agreeable to live according lo his new celigion. but
much safer to die in the old. Such is the idea the impious
themselves form of religion at the dreadful hour of death.
— Schmidt et Belet.
Exercises. — 1- What do the existence of the universe and the inef-
fable order that pervades it, proclaim ? — 2. What does Job say of the
existence of this omnipotent Being? — 3. Who is this Being ? - 4. Aro
ill! creatures capable of knowing, willing, and loving ? — » \Vhy has
(!cd conferred these faculties on man ? -- 6. What do these truths
convincingly prove 'I — 7. Do the greatness and elevation of God ren-
der Ilim indifferent to the hninago which we owe Ilim ? — 8 I oes lie
require our liomage ? — 9. What do the perfections of God require of
us ? — 10. What does St. Paul say of the blessings which God has in
reserve for those who love and serve Him ? — 11. What are the condi-
tions of the worship which we owe God ?— 12. Why ought it to be inter-
nal ? — 1.3. 'Why, external ? — 14. Why, public ? — 15 Why is a settled
form of worship necessary ? — 16. Has public worship always been in
useV — 1/. To what must we attribute the inconsistency of persons,
who, believing in the existence of God, live as though they had neither
rewards nor punishments to expect ? — 18. What are the most formi-
dable enemies of religion ? — 19. What do the three powers of tho soai
prove? — 20. In the circle of the sciences, wliat knowledge is the mos'i
important for man ? — 21. What are its advantages ? — 22. What doe-s
Montesquieu say of the benefits of religion ? — 23- Cite the words of
Voltaire on the necessity of religion. — 24. Repeat the principal coun-
sels which young persons, who desire to preaerve their faith, should
follow when about to enter fche world-
THE
DUTIES OF A GHMSTIAN.
BOOK FIRST.
ON Tilt: KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE OF GOD.
PART FIRST.
OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
CHAPTER 1.
OF THE GREED, WHICH IS AN ABRIDGMENT OF THE
TRUTHS OF FAITH.
SECTION I.
Of the Apostles' Ci-eed in general.
1 1 was necessary that the faithrul should possess a formula,
111 [jvolession of faith, which would be conci.se. .simple, easy
m! ietention, and the same thiougliout the world. To secure
iii;-; desirable object, the Apostles, it is believed, before
I ii'y separated to preach the Gospel, drew up the Symbo'
•.viiich bears their name, and which tradition lias constantly
al'.ributed to them.
The word s>j)iih()l signifies sign, or abridgment ; that name
his been given to this formula, because the profession of
fiith, which is made in reciting it, distinguishes Christians
(Viim unbelievers ; and because it contains, in an abridged
!<.:"m. the truths which a Christian, in order to he. saved, is
l;i)und to believe.
The Sj'mbol, or Apostles' Creed, consists of twelve articles,
and is divided into three principal parts.* The first part
consists of the lirst article, and speaks of God the Father,
nnd of the Creation of the world. The second part com-
* In the imperial library of Vienna, a very ancient Greelj manuscript
V3 said to exist, containing the Sjaiibol of the Apostles, divided into
welro articles, with the name of each of the Apostles who composed
4)*in.— Teionot.
O DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
prebends the next six articles, and treats of the Son of
God, the Redemption of man, and the General Judgment.
The third part comj^rises the last iive articles, and professes
our behef in the Holv Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the
Communion of Saints, the Forgiveness of sins, the General
Resurrection, and the Rewards and Punishments of a
future life. In recitmg the Apostles' Creed, we produce
as many acts of foith as there are truths contauied m it.
We should, therefore, accustom ourselves to repeat it fre-
quently, but particularly on rising in the morning, to testify
to God that we wish to Uve in a Christian manner during
the daj' ; and at night, before going to rest, in order to
dispose om-selves to die in the faith of the Chmch, should
death smprise us in om- sleep. The Church ordains that
all the faithful commit it to memory; and fathers and
mothers are mdispensably obliged to teach it to their
chilcU'en.
A tyrant, who, by threats and promises, had endeavored
to induce his Chi'istian subjects to renounce their faith,
having asked some whom he had arraigned, what was their
belief, one of the number rephed, — '• This is our profession
of fiiith, — ' I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creatoi-
of heaven and earth,' " &g. — which he recited to the end
with a loud and firm voice. — Lasausse.
Christians, while suflTei'ing the most excruciating tortures,
inflicted on them by then* cruel persecutors, in the hope of
forcing them thereby to renoimce then- faith, have been
heard to exclaim : " I beheve " ; — •' I am a Chi'istian; "
— •' Death, in any form, rather than apostacy." — Teignot.
ExEECiSES. — 1 What is the Apostles' Creed ? — 2. When did the
Apostles compose it?— 3- What does the word Symbol or Creed signify?
-- i. AVhy is it so called ? — 5. How many principal parts does itcon-
tain ? — 6. How many articles ? — 7. Of what does the tirst part consist ?
— 8. What does the second part comprehend ? — 0- What does the
third part comprise ? — 10. What do \rc produce in reoitins the Creed ?
— 11. When in particular should wc repeat it ? — 12 What does the
Church ordain on this subject?
NECESSITY OF REVELATION. 9
SECTION II.
ARTICLE I. — "l BELIKVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,
CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH- "
The Keceasify of Revelation.
Man's first and chief concern is to know the end for
which he has been placed in this world, and that a state
of never-ending happiness or misery awaits him in the world
to come, according as his works in tliis, shall have been
good or evil. But his understanding being extremely
limited, and, consequently, his conception of spiritual
tilings very imperfect, it behooves him to have recourse to
that knowledge of them, which God himself has been
pleased to reveal.
Of the truths thus revealed, some are contained in the
Holy Scriptures, and others have come down to us by tra-
dition. The Scriptures ai'e divided into the Old and the New
Testament. The Old Testament comprises all the sacred
writings from the time of jMoses to the commg of our
Divine Eedeemer ; the New, those which were wiitten by
some of the Apostles and first Disciples.
All these books were written by divine inspiration,
and their authenticity is incontrovertible. That they
were written by the persons to whom they are asci ibed ,
that they have been preserved with religious veneration,
and have come down to us by a regular and unmterrupted
tradition, are facts which can not be called in question.
From the period of their sojom'n in the desert, the
Hebrew people had the books of Moses in their hands ; they
read them every day; parents transmitted the knowl-
edge of them to their childi'en as a most precious inheri-
tance ; the original was rehgiously preserved in the taber-
nacle, and the words, nay, even the very letters, were
numbered. It would, therefore, have been impossible to
make the slightest change in the sacred writings, without
evoking the most strenuous opposition on the part of those
who, for conscience' sake, were deeply interested in the
preservation of their original integrity.
fO DTTTIBS OF A CHRISTIAN.
The Pentateuch, which comprehends the first five books
of the Old Testament, has always been attributed to Moses
by an entire people, whose religion, customs, and civil
constitution, were founded on the truths and maxims
embodied therein. The other books of the Old Testament
ai-e equally authentic ; and so perfect is their correspondence
throughout, that the facts mentioned by those who wrote
the last, necessarily suppose the events recorded by those
who had preceded them. The writers of these holy books
proved their divine mission by a succession of the most
stupendous miracles, and by prophecies which have been
literally fulfilled. They were, therefore, the ambassadors
of God.
The miracles which attest the authenticity of the Scrip-
tures were so palpably evident, that it was impossible to be
deceived in their regard. A whole kingdom is struck with
ten successive plagues; — the sea opens, leaving to the
Isi-aelites a di-y passage, and closes again, to the utter
destruction of Pharaoh, and liis entire army; — an immense
multitude are fed for forty years in the desert with manna
from Heaven, and their thirst quenched with water from
the flinty rock ; — they are protected from the scorchmg
rays of the sun by a cloud during the day, and enlightened
by a pillar of fire during the night;* — the Jordan yields a
dry passage to Joshua and liis people, and the covirse of the
sun is interrupted to give them time to complete their
victory; f — an army of one hundred and eighty-five
thousand men are struck dead in one night under the
I'amparts of Jerusalem : t these, and a thousand sunilar
prodigies, many of which were attested by solemn festivals,
instituted expressly to perpetuate their remembrance,
could not be unknown to the most ignorant, nor disbeliev-
ed by the most incredulous. So convinced, indeed, were
^he Hebrew people of their reality, that they readily
embraced the law which was given them, notwithstanding
its numerous and rigorous observances, and the sevei'tj
* Exodus, xiv, XV, xvi. t Josue, iii, 17, and x, IS
1 4 Kings, six, 35.
NEGESSITY OF REVELATION. i]
chastisements it decree dagainst those who should dare to
violate it.
The proof resulting from the pi'ophecies is no less
convincing. Here we see a number of inspired men, who
speak without uncertainty, hesitation, or doubt ; but
declare, conlidently and publicly, that such and such events
will certainly happen at the time, in the place, and in the
manner which they specifj'. And what events ? The most
particular, the most important, and, at the time of then'
prediction, apparently, the most improbable. Such were,
the captivity of the Jewish people in Babylon, which was to
be the consequence of the capture and destruction of Jeru-
salem^ then in a flourishing condition ; the precise term of
seventy years, marked out as the dura tion of the Babylonian
captivity ; the glorious retuin of tliat people to their own
country, hi the leign of Cyrus, their liberator, who was
described and called by liis name more than two hundred
years before his birth ; the succession and order of the
four great empires, two of which, Persia and Greece, were
expressly named, altliough they were, at the time of the
prediction, confined to a mere corner of the earth, ;ind
divided into numerous petty states and kingdoms. How
did the Prophets thus penetrate futmity ? Who could
discover to them events so remote and so improbable ?
who, but He who is the Master of time, and who regulates
all thuigs by his eternal decrees ? Hence, the sacred
penmen have ever been regarded as God's ministers and
ambassadors, and their wi'itings as the revealed word of
Ti-uth itself.
The authority of the New Testament rests on the same
foundation as that of the Old, and is equally incontrover-
tible. The New Testament contains the history of the life,
mu\acles, and doctrine of the Son of God, wiitten by his
Disciples — all contemporary authors — whose testimony is
vmiform, and who relate only what they had heard and
seen. From the beginning of Chi-istianity, these books have
been cited ; they were even transcribed by the great men
who lived in the time of the Apostles ; nor was then- authen-
ticity ever questioned even by those early enemies of the
12 DUTIES OP A CHRISTIAN.
Chi-istian faith— Julian. Celsus, and Porphyi-y ; althoup-
at the ijeriod in wliich they lived, they could easily haw
ascertained whether any rational doubt of that authenticitv
had previously existed.
The Church has had, at all times, a jirofound veneration
for these sacred books; she has caused them to be read
in her religious assembUes ; she has always regarded them
as the work of the Holy Ghost ; as the word of God :
and has always taught that to add to or take from them,
would be unpiet}'- and sacrilege. But, if these books are
authentic and of divine authority, the facts contamed in
them must all be true ; and if these facts are certain, then it
is true to assert that God himself has spoken to man.
We should, therefore, consider eveiy doctrine contrary
to that revealed by God, as illusion, deceit, and error, and
should oppose his sacred word to the darmg licentiousness
of impiety and incredulity. We should never forget, that,
if our faith ought to be reasonable, by an examination of
the reahty of the facts o)i which it is founded, it can not be
too humble, by our entue submission to the truths which it
reveals, and to the expositions of them given by the Church,
" the pillar and ground of truth."*
A number of persons waited on a certain philosopher,
and thus addressed him : " We are deputed to beg that
j-ou inform us clearly, who is God." He repUed, '•' I mU
consider the subject ; call on me in eight days." The eight
days having elapsed, they returned, but the philosopher
requu'ed eighc days more to frame his answer. These being
expired, they again presented themselves, but were told to
call ui eight days more. Weary of hearing the same reply,
and in precisely the same terms, they asked him how long
he would continue telling them to call in eight days. " So
long," rephed he, " as you contmue to put the same ques-
tion, I must retmn the same answer. I know well that
thej'e is a God ; but who, or what He is, I know not, noi
shall I ever be able to tell j'ou."
Who can teach what God is but God liimself ? St. Augus
* 1 Tim., iii, 15.
THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. 13
tiiio, before liis conversion, went to the church as often as
his occupations would permit, and never failed on Sundays
to hear the sermons of St. Ambrose, who was then Bishop of
jMilrm. "They were," says he, "excellent explanations
of the word of truth ; and whilst I opened my heart to the
eloquence of his words, the truth entered by de'grees."
After Iris conversion, he says, " Oh ! how much did I weep
in hearing thy hymns and canticles, being exceedingly
moved by the voices of thy harmonious Church ! Theii
enchanting sounds charmed my ears, as thy truth distilled
into my heart, whence the affection of devotion arose, and
from my eyes flowed sweet tears, in which I found much
comfort."*
Exercises. — i. What is man's first and chief concern? — 2. Where
are these revealed truths to be found? — 3. How are the Scriptures
divided? — 4. AVhat is comprised in tlie Old Testament? — 5. AVliat,
in the New? — 6. How were these books written, and what is said of
their authenticity? — 7. What facts, respecting these books, cannot be
questioned? — 8. To whom is the Pentateuch attributed ? — 9. How
did the writers ufthe Old Testament prove their divine mission? —
10. iS'ame some of the miracles. — 11- Name some of the prophecies . —
12. On what dues the authority of the New Testament rest? — 13 Of
what does it treat?— 14. How has the Church always regarded
these books ? — 15. How should we consider all doctrines contrary to
divine revelation ?
SECTION ni.
Of the Existence of God.
This truth — there is a God — presents itself, as it were,
naturally to the mind. A single glance, a moment's
reflection, is sufficient to convince us of its reaUty. Every
object in nature, the least as well as the greatest, is a
sensible proof of God's e^xistence.
Behold the magnificent canopy of the heavens ! Wlio
lias created this immense vault ? Who has suspended r.U
these glorious orbs ; — this sun whicli cUfFuses everywhere its
light and heat — this moon, these stars, which shine in the
* Confess., lib. vii, c. C.
14 DCTTES OF A CHRISTIAN.
liimament during the night, and which perform thei/
revolutions with a regularity so truly admirable ?
If now we look down upon the earth, and contemplate
the countless multitudes of animals which inhabit it ; the
amazing variety of trees, plants, and fruits, with wliich it is
covered ; the myi'iads of fishes which the sea contains
within its bosom ; shall we not exclaim, — who, but God
alone, could be the author of so many wonders ? To
attribute them to chance, would be the climax of absurdity.
On seeing a beautiful palace, we instantly judge that a
skilful architect has planned and built it ; and on beholding
a fine picture, we doubt not that an excellent artist has
designed and painted it. And should any one dare tell
us that the building and the painting are the eifects of
chance ; that the stones, &c., of the former, happened
to shape, polish, and adjust themselves ; and that the
colors of the latter, by some accident, mixed and ai'ranged
themselves on the canvass, and thus formed the correct
and graceful figures which we so much admire ; would we
not pronounce our informant a madman ? How, then,
should we characterize him, who, for an instant, could
imagine that the universe has been the result of a sunilar
process ?
In fine, contemplating ourselves, we see the human body
composed of a multitude of muscles, members, and organs,
arranged with amazing regularity ; and, throughout the
whole, we perceive evidence of a marked design, and proof
that He who called man into existence, Avished to give, in his
person, a manifest indication of his infinite wisdom, since
God alone could have produced a work so admii'able !
But we have a soul as well as a body. This soul is not
formed of matter ; for matter is not capable of thought.
The soul is, then, a spu-it. It is united to the body ; and
so intimate is this union, that when the body is in health,
a sweet joy diffuses itself through the soul ; and when the
body suffers from sickness, the soul sjTnpathizes in its
sufFermgs. Who, but God, could thus unite two sucb
opposite substances, and establish between them so admir
able a correspondence ?
TBm EXISTENCE OP GOD. 15
The feelings of joy and sadness which we experience, are
a further proof of God's existence. If these feelings
depended on ourselves, or if we could possess or banish
them at pleasure, we would always be joyous — never
sorrowful. We have, then, a sovereign and almighty
Master, on whom we depend, and who disposes of us at his
good pleasure. This supreme Master is God. Hence, the
exclamation — "My God ! " which escapes us in any unfore-
seen calamity or danger — an exclamation which is not the
effect of reflection, but the testimony of a soul " natm-aUy
Christian, " as is remarked by the famous, but unfortunate,
Tertullian.
It is, then, true, that we bear within us the impress of the
Divinity, traced in indelible characters ; and hence, there
has never been a nation, how savage or barbarous soever,
which did not acknowledge the existence of a supreme
Being. Many nations have been discovered destitute of
the arts and sciences ; — not one that had not a God. In
their choice, many were, certainly, mistaken ; but all felt
the necessity of acknowledging a supreme Power. This
universal consent of mankind, of all countries, and of all
times, and among people diftering so much from one an-
other in genius and manners, could not be the efl'ect of any
arbitrary convention : it can only be the efiect of a light
which shines on all mankind — a light proceeding from God,
which even the most simple-minded cannot misunderstand.
" The heavens show forth the glory of God, and the
firmament declareth the works of his hands.'" Who else
could order the sun to come forth, and preside over the
day ; or the moon to appear, and rule over the night ? t
All creatui-es proclaim aloud that they did not make
themselves, that it was God alone who made them. Who
but God could cause the plants to germinate and increase
in the bosom of the earth ? Who else could regulate the
exact succession of day and night, and fix the invariable
order of the seasons ? Every thing around us proclaims the
existence of God.
• Psalm xvii, 2. f Gen., i.
16 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
A young libertine, whose levity of mind corresponded
with that of his manners, presented himself to M. Oudin. a
learned and pious ecclesiastic, and impudently said. " I
feel much pleasm-e, sir, in informing you that I am an
atheist." At these words, the man of God recoiled with
horror ; then, putting on his spectacles, he steadfastly
gazed at the silly fop, who, after a few moments, demanded
why he stared him. " I gaze, ' ' he rephed, '' upon the strange
being called an atheist, having never seen one tiU now."
Disconcerted at this answer, the atheistical youth hastily
withdi-ew. — ^JMerault.
ExERCiSKS. — 1. Are deep researches requisite to convince us of the
existence of God ?— 2. What are the external proofs of the existence
of God ?-3. Can the creation of the world and the numberless beauties
it contains, be attributed to chance ? — 4. Can the admirable form-
ation of the human body be the result of chance? — 5. Is not a proof
of the existence of God found in the soul? — C. Have there ever
been on earth nations that rejected the existence of God ? — 7. Of what
is this universal consent of nations the effect ?
SECTION IV.
^' I BELIEVE IN GOD, &C."
Of the Unity of God.
Faith and reason, which teach us that there is a God,
teach us also that there is but one, and that there cannot
be more. God, being sovereignly great, must be one : if He
had an equal. He would cease to be supreme. All his
perfections prove his Unity. There can be but one immense
Being, who fills all places, and in whom all things live, move,
and have their being. There can be but one infinitely
perfect Being, who possesses in himself all possible perfec-
tions, and from whom all the perfections of his creatiu-es
flow. The Divine Being cannot have an equal, because He
possesses in himself the plenitude of infinite majesty.
That a truth so evident should formerly have been
unlcnown, and that people, otherwise enlightened, should
have adored a plurahty of gods, is, doubtless, a subject of
astonishment. This gross ignorance was a consequence ot
TPO? TTNITY OF GOD. 1 7
sin. When God created man, lie manifested himself to
him, and man, from that moment, knew clearly that there
was out one Supreme Being, who created all things, and on
whom they were all dependant. Man transmitted to liis
posterity tliis pure and holy religion, which was for some
time preserved amongst them. This tradition was so
conformable to reason, that one should tliink it could never
be obscured nor forgotten ; but religion demanded sacrifice,
and the corruption of nature was every day assuming anew
and more powerful emphe. In proportion as men removed
from the origin of things, the greater part forgot the lessons
which they had received from their forefathers ; the idea of
God was confounded with that of the creation ; they adored
every object m which they discovered any extraordinary
power, or from which they believed they had anything to
hope or fear. The stars were the first objects of this impious
worship ; kings, conquerors, and philosophers, soon after
received divine honors. Beasts and reptiles next became
objects of adoration. At length, the greater part of mankind
regarded everything as God but God himself, and even
adored the works of their own hands. They fancied they
could confine the Divine Spirit in a statue, and they so far
forgot that God had made them, as even to imagine that
they could make a God. Every nation had its particular
deities, some of which presided m heaven, others in the sea
and in the rivers, others in hell; and so great was the
corruptioli which reigned amongst men, that they deified
vices and passions, and erected altars in their honoi-.
Nor was tliis excess of wickedness and blindness pecuUar
to savage and barbarous nations ; the most polished nations
of antiquity — the Egj^jtians, Greeks, and Romans — were no
less chargeable with it. These nations, though unsurpassed
in civilization and enhghtenment, were, in mattei'S of
religion, as blind as the most barbarous and illiterate. Even
their orators, poets, historians, and sages, were profoundly
ignorant of the natui'e of the Divinity; and what would
appear incredible, if facts did not attest it, the prevailing
notions on this head were not only the most absurd, but
likewise the most deeply rooted and incorrigible. Some
18 DUTIES OP A OHKISTIAN.
of their pliilosophers, it is true, by much reasoning and deep
reflection, discovered the unity of God, but they never dared
teach this doctrine in public-
Men would never have gone forth from the darkness of
idolatry, had not a supernatural light come to the assistance
of reason, and had God liimself not spoken to man, and made
kno^vn who He is, and how He should be honored. Had
not the Lord deigned to enlighten us also, we, too, would
now be buried m this frightiul darkness ; but thanl^cs to his
infinite goodness, the lii'st lessons given us in our childhood,
taught us more than was known by the wisest pagans of
antiquity.
Epictetus being asked who God is, replied, "Were I
capable of declaring what God is, God would not be what
He is, and 1 should be God, — for God alone can compre-
hend himself."
Exercises. — 1. What do faith and reason teach us concerning God ?
— -2. How do the perfections of God prove his Unity? — 3- AVhat has
given rise to idolatry ? — 4. What creatures first attracted man's adora-
tion?—5. Was this excess of wickedness and blindness limited to
savage and barbarous nations ? — i^i To whom do we owe our deliver-
ance from this frightful darkness ?
SECTION V.
" I BELIEVE IN GOD, &G."
Of the Ferfeciions of God.
God is so great, and our miderstanding is so limite<.l,
that it is impossible for us to conceive what He really is.
The knowledge of Him, which faith and reason commimi-
cate, is natm-ally imperfect, but still quite sufficient for us
while we are in this life. Nothing can give us a more
exalted idea of God than what He says of liimself : '-I au
WHO AM ;"*— that is, the Behifj by excellence, the First Cause
of all, on whom alone everything else depends. From tliis
• Exodus, iii, 14-
THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD. 19
idea of God, it follows, that He possesses, in an infinite
degree, every possible perfection.
God is a Spint, — that is, a pure Intelligence, without
body, figure, or color : He is not like the objects which
surround us, and which strike our senses ; for everything
which we see and touch is material ; but an iutinitely
perfect being is immaterial. The angels and our souls are
indeed spirits, but the knowledge of the angels, as well as
ours, is limited and imperfect ; that of God extends to
every object in creation.
God is Eternal. — He existed before all things, for He made
them all ; He existed before all time — He never had a
beginning, and never will have an end. Before anytliing
was created, God existed in himself, and nothing existed
but God alone.
Godis Ahiiighiy. — He can do all things ; He does all that
He wills ; by his single word all creatures came forth fi'om
nothing, and, if He pleased. He could create a thousand
other worlds. " He," says the Apostle, " calleth the things
that are not as those that are,"* and they immediately obey
his voice. Nothing is impossible, nothing difficult to Him.
The heavenly bodies are suspended in the firmament
without any other support than his good i:ileasure ; the sea
respects his orders, and keeps within the limits which He
has prescribed it. The fire, the air, the tempest, all nature
is obedient to his laws. He covers the heavens with clouds,
whence descend the fertilizing rain ; and each succeeding
year He presents to our admiring view the I'enovated
aspect of universal nature.
God is Independent. — God is, or exists, from himself alone,
and is the principle of all that is. He is the inexhaustible
source of all good; and He distributes liis gifts to whom
He pleases. A Being sovereignly happy in himself. He has no
need of creatures ; and, absolute Mastei' of all things.
He has neither superior nor equal. We, on the contrary,
live in a universal and continual dependance upon God. It
is He who preserves and nourishes us. We can do nothing
• Rom., iv, 17.
aO bUTIES OP A OHRISTIAJ*.
whatever without his assistance, and were lie to withdraw,
for an instant, liis sustaining arm, we should at once
return to our original nothingness.
God is Unchangeable. — What lie is, He always was, .'in'^
always will be. " For 1 am the Lord, and I change not."*
Man is never in a fixed or permanent condition. His body
subject to the revolutions of different periods of life, passe*
successively from strength to weakness, from health tr
sickness, from Ufe to death. His will, either through hi'
own inconstancy, or because he has discovered reasons for
abandoning what he sought, or for seeking what h?
despised, is subject to perpetual change. "But Thou,"
says the Psalmist, addi-essing the Almighty, "art alway?
the selfsame, and thy years shall not fail :"t and St. James
declares, that with " God there is no change, nor shadow
of alteration. "J
God is Injtni/c, — that is, liis essence and his attributes are
without limit. He possesses, in an unlimited degree, all
possible perfections. God is not only good, but mlinitely
good ; not only just, but infinitely just ; — and thus might
be characterized all his other perfections, of which the
number is as unlimited as then* greatness is unbounded.
God is Immense.— Hq is in Heaven, on earth, and in all
places. It is He who animates all, who sustains all, who
gives life and motion to every created bemg. He is in all
things, or to say better, all things are in Him ; liis presence
extends to the farthest bounds of the universe ; He could
create other worlds as well as this ; and if created, they
would all be confined witliin the extent of his immensity.
It is, then, certain, that we are continually in God's
presence ; He hears all our words ; He witnesses all our
actions ; He penetrates the inmost recesses of our heart ;
He knows well all our thoughts and all our desires. When
we do evil, He is present and sees it. The thickest darkness
does not conceal us from his sight ; the darkest night is,
with Him, as the brightest day. The proof of this truth is
deeply engraven on our heart. Whence come those
• Malachy, iii, 6. t Ps. ci, 27. t James, i, 17.
THE I'EUFECTIONS OP GOD. 21
remorses which agitate us in the commission of ciime.
though concealed fi'om every human eye ? Whence those
Uvely and bitter reproaches with which conscience then,
assails us ? In vain would the sinner endeavor to silence
them ; the piercing cry of tliis interior voice penetrates
whatever opposes it ; in vain would he fly from his own
heai-t, and seek to avoid the confusion of these reproaches.
Wherever he goes, he is tilled with fear and covered with
shame before this invisible censor, that continually
reminds him of the turpitude of his crune, m oi'der to
induce him to detest it.
We should never forget that God is always with us, and
that we are never alone ; that, in the most retired place,
in the deepest soHtude, we have an invisible Witness, who
accompanies us everywhere, and observes all our actions.
This thought should restrain us from evil. The enemy of
our salvation is weak, his efforts powerless, so long as we
remember the presence of God. How could we dare to
commit sin before his eyes ? Who would have the temerity
to do in his presence what he would not do in the presence
of his father or master ? This was the lesson which Tobias
gave his son: — "My son," said he, "all the days of thy
life, have God m thy mind."* It is also the counsel of St.
Augustine: " if any one,'' he says, "would tempt you to
sin, say to him: 'Find me a place in which God will not
see me ; but since there is no such place, speak to me no
fonger of sin ; lam not sufficiently wicked to offend Hun in
his presence.' " This thought^ — God seci me — should sustain
us against the attacks of the devil, give us strength and
courage to resist them, and stimulate us to discharge our
duties with the utmost fidelity.
God governs all ikinga. — He takes care of all his
creatures, and this care is called his Providence. Nothing
happens in tliis world but by his order or permission. The
good which happens is by his order. He api)roves it. He
wills and commands it, and He rewards it. The evil which
is committed happens not by his order. He forbids it, and
will punish it ; but He does not prevent it, because He will
• Tobias, iv. 6.
22 D0TIES OF A CHRISTLAN.
not constrain our liberty, and is sufficiently powerful to
di'avv good from ovil. God abandons not his creatures to
chance after having created them. To govern them, after
hiving deigned to create them, is not unworthy of his
in'inite mijesty.
The providence of God watches over each individual, as
well as over kingdoms and empires. Not a sparrow falls
CO the ground without the order of your heavenly Father.
•• The very hahs of your head are all numbered,"* says our
Lord. His bountiful providence annually covers the earth
with crops, causes the trees to be laden with fruit, gives
increase to plants, provides, with paternal care, for the
various wants of his creatures, and nourishes even the
birds of the air, the fishes of the sea, and the animals
which roam over the earth.
We must not, however, imagine, that God's care of his
creatures is to Him a source of trouble, or that it distui'bs.
in the least, his unalteral:)le repose. A king, who is
occupied with the great afiau's of his kingdom, cannot
attend to the details of its minor concerns ; for, so limited
are the powers of the human mind, that he could not
devote his attention to the care of the latter, without
exposing himself to the manifest danger of neglecting the
former. But with God all things are equally easy, and
nothing can be ditficult or embarrassing to Him.
From this principle, that there is a Providence, flow two
important duties of man. The lirst is, that he should
submit without reserve to the conduct of that Providence ;
adoring it in adversity, as well as in prosperity; in sickness
and suffering, as well as in health and enjoyment. Our
sentiments, then, should be, ''as it hath pleased the Lord,
so is it done: blessed be the name of theLord.''i If He
sometimes permits the good man to suffer want, while the
impious is in a state of aftiuence, it is that He may
exercise Ills vhtue, and reward it munificently in the Hfe
to come, — knowing that the passing evils which we here
endure will be the means of securing to us everlastm<^
felicity. The second duty is, to confide in this Proviaouce
• Matt., X. .so. ^ Job,i,21.
THK PERFECTIONS OF GOD. 23
and to expect, without inquietude, from the goodness of
God, all that is necessary for this life and f;he life to come.
''Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do
they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father
feedeth them. Are not you of much more value than
they ? Consider the lilies of the field how they grow ;
they labour not, neither do they spin : but I say to you,
that not even Solomon, in all liis glory, was arrayed as one
of these. And if the grass of the field, which is to-day,
and to-morrow is cast into the oven, Crod doth so clothe,
how much more you, O yo of little faith?"* Let us,
therefore, adore divine Providence under all events ;
our lot cannot be in better hands. Never will so good a
Father abandon his children, if they but confide in his
paternal care.
We read in the Old Testament, Chat a virtuous young
woman, named Susanna, was solicited to commit ;i grievous
sin, and was threatened with an ignominious death in case
she refused. Horrified at the thought of offending God,
she raised her eyes in supplication to Heaven and then
protested courageously that she would rather die than sin in
the presence of her God. Being afterwards falsely accused
before the people, in consequence of her resisting this
temptation, God himself undertook her defence, and, by
ineans of his prophet, Daniel, clearly established her inno-
cence. Her wicked accusers were then put to the same
kind of death to which they had nefariously condemned her.
Thus, the remembrance of God's presence, which she had
constantly preserved, was the cause of Susanna's heioic
conduct in the hour of trial, and of her generous fidelity,
to vindicate wlaich, divine Providence thus miraculously
interposed.
Canute, the Dane, king of England, one of the wisest
and most powerful monarchs of his time, was an object of
the most extravagant adulation — a tribute liberally paid
even to the meanest and weakest prmoeo — but which this
rehgious sovereign held in abhorrence. Being one day on
• Matt., vi 26, 28, 2y. 30-
24 DUTIES Otr A OHRISTIAJJ.
the sea-shore, surrounded by a numerous retinue, some of
them took occasion to extol his greatness, styling him —
king of kings, and ruler of both sea and land. Canute,
desirous of showing how conscious he was of the emptiness
of the base compliment, and wishmg to reprove their
impiety, seated himself near the waters edge at the
flowing of the tide, and commanded the foaming element
not to approach his person, but to withdraw since he was
lord even of the ocean ! The sea, it may be easily believed,
little heeded the monarch's mandate. It gained, as usual,
upon the shore, and would soon have drenched and
submerged the royal personage and his suite, had they not
had the prudence to retire. "You see," said the king,
smiling, "the impotence of your sovereign: learn, that
supreme dominion is the attribute of God alone, who with
a nod can raze the towering piles of human pride and
ambition, and who alone can say to the ocean: ' Hitherto
shalt thou come, and thou shalt go no farther ; and hero
shalt thou break thy swelling waves.' "*
Whatever afflictions fell to the lot of the holy king and
prophet, David, he never murmured or uttered the least
complaint. On the contrary, he wished on all such
occasions to acknowledge the goodness of God, and to
proclaim his praises, kno-\ving that everything comes from
Him as, from the source of all good. Thus was he disp6sed
when pursued and persecuted by Saul, and long afterwards,
when driven from his palace and from the regal city, by liis
unnatural son, Absalom, and when cursed and reviled by
the ungrateful Semei.f
M. de Chantal having been mortally wounded by a
friend, who mistook him for a deer, became that friend's
consoler, and said to him, — "My dear friend, thy arrow
had been pointed by the Most High before it left thy
bow." — Life op St. F. de Chantal.
Madame de Sevigne, speaking of Marshal Turenne, says,
" The cannon wMch killed this great man was loaded from
* Job, xxxviii, 11- t 2 Kings, xvi, 10.
THE MYSTERY OP THE BLESSED TUINTTY. 25
all eternity:" — a thought as true as it is energetic —
Leti-ers op Madame dk Skvignk.
Exercises. — 1. Is it possible for us to conceive what God really is ?
— 2. What can communicate, at least imperfectly, the knowledge of
God ? — o. What do you mean by saying that God is a spirit ? — 4. Are
not the angels and our souls spirits ? — 5. Why do we say that God is
eternal? -G. Why, almighty?— 7. Why, independeuc? —8. Why,
unchangeable ? — 9. Why, inlinite ? — 10. Why, immense? — II. ^Vhal
means the providence of God? — 12. What two important duties flow
from the principle that there is a Providence ?
SECTION VI.
" I BELIEVE IN GOD, &C."
Of the Mystenj of the Blessed Trinity.
Although God is but one in nature, yet there are in God
three really distinct persons, called the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Ghost. This truth is called the mystery of the
Most Holy Trinity. God himself revealed it, in a sensible
mamier, at the baptism of Jesus Christ, when the Holy
Ghost was seen descending upon liim in the form of a dove,
and the voice of the Father was heard acknowledging him
publicly as his only Son: "Heaven was opened," says the
Evangelist, " and the Holy Ghost descended, in a bodily
shape, as a dove, upon him ; and a voice came from Heaven :
' Thou art my beloved Son ; in thee I am well pleased.' "*
Jesus Chi'ist himself clearly revealed it, when he commanded
ois Apostles to baptize all nations in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; showing that these
three persons are equal to one another. This truth is con-
firmed by St. John, when he says, ' 'There are three who give
testimony m Heaven ; the Father, the Word, and the Holy
Spirit; and these thi-ee are one. " f
This mystery of the Blessed Trinity is the great object
of our faith, and there is no one truth the remembrance of
• Luke, iii, 21, 22. T 1 John, v, 7.
26 DQTIES OF A OHUISTIAN.
which religion so frequently recalls. All our prayers begin
and end with the invocation of the thi'ee divine Persons.
The sign of the cross, which is so frequently used in the
ceremonies of the Church, and in the ordinary actions of
Christians, is made in their name. Although we must not
divide the divine nature, which is one, we must be careful
not to confound the persons, which are really distinct. The
Father is the same God as the Son, but not the same person;
the Holy Ghost is the same God as the Father and the
Son, but not the same person as either. The three divine
Persons are not three Gods, because tliej^ have but one and
the same divine nature ; hence, they are equal to one another
in all things ; the one is not greater, wiser, or older than
either of the others ; they have all the same power, the
same wisdom, the same eternity.
This incomprehensible truth is above human reason, not
contrary to it, as some heretics assert. We do not say that
there are three Gods in one God, but thi'ee persons m one
God. Nor should we represent to ourselves the three
persons in body and soul lilce ours ; the three persons in
God are purely spu'itual. The first person is the Father ;
the second person is the Son, begotten of the Father from
all eternity ; the third person is the Holy Ghost who
proceeds from the Father and the Son. Such is the
knowledge which God has been pleased to reveal of this
sublime mystery. Man could not of himself have attained
to this knowledge, but God, who is truth itself, and who
can neither deceive nor be deceived, having revealed
it to us, we beheve it with undoubting faith, resting on the
authority of his infallible word.
There is nothing more reasonable than that man should
submit his reason to God's authority, for it is not in sph-it-
ual things alone that the weakness of man's understanding
is seen. How many thitigs are there in nature which he
cannot comprehend, but which, nevertheless, are certam
and indubitable ! Can v^e conceive now a gra in of wheat
cast into the earth, produces a multitude of others;
how a dry and apparently withered trunk sends forth
such a variety of loaves and flowers, and such a profusion
THE MYSTERY OF THE BLESSED TRINH'Y. 27
of delicious fruits ; with a thousand other wonders which
nature daily presents to our view ? When a learned astron-
omer speaks to his pupils of the immensity of the heavens,
of the countless multitude of the heavenly bodies, of their
bulk, of their distance, and, in fine, of the velocity and
regularity of their motions ; when he tells them, for ins-
tance, that the sun is 1,400,000 times as large as our earth,
and that his distance from it is 95,000,000 of miles, they
cannot comprehend v;hat he tells them; but, conscious
that they are yet only children, they believe all this on the
word of a man in whose veracity they confide. When there
is question of the nature of God, all men are but cliildren.
They will one day arrive at the plenitude of perfect age ;
their darkness will be dissipated, and they will see clearly
what they can now neither penetrate nor comprehend.
St. Augustine saj^s, that " to wish to penetrate this mystery
here below, is temerity ; to believe it by the light of faith,
is the fruit of piety ; to- contemplate it in the other life, is
sovereign felicity."
The human soul is an illustrious image of the Trinity.
Like the Father, it has being-, like the Son, it has
intelligence ; and like the Holy Ghost, it has love. Like
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, it has in its
bemg, intelligence, and love, one and the same happiness,
one and the same life. Nothing can be taken from it, unless
all be taken. Perfect in its life, understanding, and love,
it understands what it is, and loves what it understands : its
being and its operations are inseparable. Happy he who
secures the happiness for which his immortal soul was
created.
Moses, in his history of the creation, informs us, that
before the formation of Adam, God said, " Let Us make
man to our image and likeness."* The words, " God said,"
show the unity of the Godhead, "Let Us make," show the
plurality of the Persons. And the Lord, in reproaching
Adam for disobeying his just commands, ironically said,
'TBehold, Adam is become as one of Us, knowing good and
evil."t Here it is evident, that God speaks to an equal,
• Gen., i, 26. t Gen-, iii, 22.
28 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
and from those words it is also evident, that God was
ppoaldng to his equal when He said, " Let Us make man to
oui" image and likeness." The prophet David sa3's, "By
the word of the Lord the heavens were established ; and
all the power of them by tiio spirit of his mouth ;"* and in
these makes express mention of the three divine Persons •
the Lord, who is the Father ; the Word of the Lord, who i.
the Son ; and the SpMt of the Lord, who is tha Holy Ghos\/
Thus, it appears that the m3rstery of the Holy Trinity was
intimated in the Old Law, though not so clearly taught as
in the New ; lor, to teach it clearly, w*s reserved for Him
who commanded his disciples to "go and teach all
nations ; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and oi
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." t
Two men, blind from ilieii- bhth, the one ignorant and
impious, the other pious and well-instructed, conversing
together, the forme.' taid to the latter — "How can there
be thi'ee persons in one God, while each of the three
persons is God, although there is but one God ? I cannot
understand how that can be, and think it very silly to
believe what one cannot comprehend." "I firmly believe
it," replied the other, and, in thus believing, am not
foolish, but the contrary." " If you can prove that," said
the impious man, "my cane — good and beautiful as it is—
shall be yours." " And pray," said the good man, "' how
do you know that your cane is pretty? what can a blind
man know of beauty ? We, who ire bUnd, can form no
conception of colors. Who Could make us comprehend
the diiference between red and yellow — green and blue ?
Are we, therefore, to deny that laere are colors, and
that there is a difference between them, until we can
understand what constitutes that difference '?" "Certainly
not," replied the other, "we lave so many reasons to
believe the fact, — all men who are not blmd assure us of
"ts truth." " And so," rejomed the good man, "men tell
as that there are colors, and we believe them ; but God
* Ps. zxxii, 6. t Matt., zxviii, 19.
THIi CREATION. 2D
has revealed the mysteries of wliich wo have just spoken,
and yet, we will not believe IJiiii ! Have we not far more
i-eason to believe the mysteries of our holy religion, than
to believe in the existence of colors. The Catholic
Church, which teaches us the mysteries of faith, has been
divinely established — she will instruct you in them. Lead
II life of faith, vivified by charity, till God shall call you
out of this world ; then you shall be no longer blind, but
shall behold God face to face as He really is."
Exercises. — 1. What do you understauJ by the mystery of the
Blessed Trinity ? — 2. When, and by whom, wa? this mystery revealed
to us ? — 3. How is the mystery of the Blessed Trinity considered ? —
4. ^Vhat recalls to our mind this fundamental dogma?— 5. What
should wo kn w concerniua this august mystery? — G Though above
uur comprehension, is it reasonable to believe in it? — 7. Have we In
ourselves an image of the Blessed Trinity ?
SECTION Vll.
,**I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR
OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. "
t
Of the Creation.
The world which we inhabit is not eternal ; it had a be-
gmning. The book which gives the history of its creation
is the most ancient in existence, and is, like all the sacred
wi'itings, most authentic and worthy of credit. "In the
beginning," says this inspired volume, "God created
heaven and earth,"* that is — made all things. God has
existed from all eternity, and nothing else than He alone
could have been from eternity. In time, at the moment
chosen by liimself. He created the heavens and the earth
out of nothing, by a single act of his almighty will : " He
spoke, and they were made : He commanded, and they
were created" t If we transport ourselves, in sphit, back
to the time of the creation, with what admiration shall we
be tilled, at seeing myriads of beautiful and perfect
* Gen., i, 1. t Ps- cxlyiii, 5.
30 DUTIES OK A CflKISTlAN.
creatures start into existence at the voice of God, that is,
by liis omnipotent will !
God employed six days in the work of the creation. He
could as easiJy have accomplished it in a single instant;
but He wished to show that He acts without constraint, and
according to his good will and pleasure. On the first day
He created the heavens and the earth. " And God said,
"Ee light made :' and light was made.''* On the second
day He made the firmament — the immense vault wliich w>
call the heavens. '"'Let there be a firmament."' said the
Lord, "and it was so.''t It did not then possess itsiDresent
briUiancy, and was, as j'^et, like an immense pa-sdiion,
destitute of ornament — the sun and the stars not being yel
created. On the third day God collected the waters
together, and separated them from the land; He also
commanded the earth to bring forth trees and plants, to
each of wliich He imparted the wonderful property of
reproducing others of the same species, by means of seed.s.
Thus, at the order of God, a dry and sterile surface became,
in an instant, a delightful landscape, covered with smiling
meadows, with fertile valleys, adorned with fruits and
flowers, and with hills and mountains, crowned with stately
forests.
On the fourth day God created the smi and moon, and
adorned the firmament with a multitude of stars, which
charm our sight and astonish our imagination. On the
fifth day He created the bu'ds and fishes, saying, "Let the
waters bring forth the creeping creature having life, and
the fowl that may flyover the earth rmder the fu'mamentof
heaven : " t and presently the deep was filled with inmates,
and the air with an innumerable variety of bhds.
On the sixth day, "God said, ' Let the earth bring forth
the living creature in its kind, cattle and creeping things.
and beasts of the earth accordmg to their kinds. And ii
was so done.' '5 Thus were created the various animals
which inhabit the earth, from the smallest worm, to the
buge elephant; from the garden-bee, to the mountain^
♦ Qon., i, 3, t Gen., i, 6, 7- t Gen., i, 20. § Gen., i, 2i
THE CREATION. 3i
eagle: from the smallest reptile, to the largest serpent; from
the minute animalculnm that escapes the eye, to the enor-
mous whale which, like an animated mountain, agitates
the deep ; in tine, from the meanest ui.sect, to the most
finished form in the animal creation. How admirably
various are their conformation, their (jualities, and theii'
instincts ! To some were given strength -, to others,
industry; and to all, the qualities necessary for fulfilling
their respective destinies. All creatures being thus created,
God resolved to give them a master, and created the first
mm, whom He called Adam.
The most illustrious of iiutuialists. the immortd Linnseus,
after an extensive and prolound study of nature, thus
expresses himself: —
'"' I have seen pass liy the shadow of the eternal God — the
immense, Omnipotent, sovereignly Wise — and I have been
stupilied with wonder. I have followed his footprints on
the universe, and, oh ! what power, what intelligence,
wliat fathomless perfection, are displayed in all his works,
even to the least, and such as hardly have a being ! I have
observed that the existence of animals is founded on
vegetables ; that of vegetables, on minerals ; that of
minerals, on the earth; and that the earth is viviiied by
the sun, aliout which it continually revolves with unvarying
regularity. I have contem.plated the sun turning on its
axis, like the other stars, and the assemblage of sta^-s,
whose number is incalculable, suspended and put in
motion in boundless space, by the ineffable and primitive
Mover — the Being of beings, the Cause of causes; the
Author, Regulator, and Preserver of all thhigs, and
Monarch of the universe." — Systema. Nature.
Exercises. — 1. Of what dDes the first article of the Creed treat?-
2. - Has the worhl always existed ? 3. Wh:it book gives the histor.v
of its creation? — 4. Is this book worthy of belief V *— 5. IIow many
days did God employ in the creation of the world? —0. Vv'as it neces-
sary that He should employ this time in its creation? — 7 Vvhat did
God create on the first day?— 8. On the second?— 9. On the third '^ —
10. On the fourth? -11. On the fifth? — 12. On the sixth? -13. How
riid He crown the creation of the world?
• See Chapter on Revelation, page 9
32 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
CHAPTER II.
OF THE ANGELS AND OF MEN.
Angels and men are the most perfect beings which God
has created, because they alone possess understandmg, are
capable of knowing and loving then- Creator, and are made
to be eternally happy in the possession of Him.
SECTION I.
Of the Angels.
Although no mention is made of the Angels in the
account of the creation, it is beUeved they were created on
the iirst day, when God said, "Let there be light."* This
is the opinion of St. Augustine. God, says the Scripture,
made the Angels in Heaven, and created an iimumerable
multitude of them. The Angels are pure spirits, not
destined, like our souls, to be united with bodies. The
name angel signiiies messenger, and the Holy Scripture
fm'nishes a variety of examples, in wliich these blessed
spirits have been deputed to men : — theAngel Gabriel to
Zacbary, and to the Blessed Virgin ; Raphael to Tobias.
&c Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Gideon, and a great number
of other holy persons, have been favored with angelical
visions. These blessed spirits are represented with wings,
to show the promptitude with which they execute the
orders of God.
Th(«. Angels were created with free-will ; all could have
remained faithful and could have merited the happiness
for which they had been created ; but the chief amongst
them. Lucifer — so named, on account of the gi'eat
splentlor and beauty with which he had been adorned—
forgot the duty he owed his Creator, and wished to
become his equal. A great niunber of the heavenly
spirits followed liis example ; but c ?;till greater num-
ber followed that of the Archangel Michael,! who,
placing liimself at their head, overcame these rebellious
spirits. "Michael," in Hebrew, signifies — Who is like unto
God ? Who so great, so powerful, so holy, or so just '
• Gou., i, 3. f- Rev., xii, 17
THE ANGELS. 33
These wicked spirits were cast into hell, where they shal'
endure the most terrific punisliments for all eternity.
God, to give us an occasion of proving our love for Him,
and of meriting a greater I'ecompense, permits these
spirits of darkness, who are also called devils, to tempt us
to evil ; but He, at the same time, gives us the graces
necessary to resist their suggestions. We may prevent
their attacks by prayer and vigilance, and overcome thera
by the grace which Jesus Christ has purchased for us by
his sufferings and death. The angels who had remained
faithful were coniii-med in grace, and entered into the joy
of the Lord, with wliich they will be eternally inebriated in
tlie contemplation of his mefFable perfections.
Therv> are thi-ee liierarchies of these blessed spirits, and
in eaeh liierarchy tlu-ee diiferent orders. The first hierarchy
comprehends the Serapliim, the Cherubim, and the
Thrones ; the second, the Dominations, the Vii^tues, and
the Powers ; the third, the Prmcipalities, the Archangels.
and the Angels. Their occupation, as we are taught by
the Holy Scriptures, is to sing the praises of God, to adore
Him, present our prayers to Him, and protect those who
invoke their assistance. We should entertain great respect
for all these blessed spirits, but in a particular manner for
our Guardian Angel. We know from the words of Jesus
Christ liimself,* that the smallest cliild has one of these
blessed spirits as his gua^'dian and protector. Wliat sweet
consolation to be assured that we have always with us a
protector, whom God has sent us from Heaven, who
watches over us day and night, to prevent the angel of
darkness doing us injury; and that we have in him a true
friend, equally faithful, wise, enlightened, and powerful ;
a secure guide, filled with zeal, to dhect us in the path
which leads to Heaven ? Why are we unmmdful of what
these Angels do for us ? Should not the remembrance of it fill
our heart with gratitude, confidence, and love, and prompt
as to be docile to their inspirations, fervent in invokmg
then- assistance, and faithful in imitating their example !
• Matt-, xviii, 10.
34 DUTIES OF A caiasTiAN.
Aftei- the return from the Biibylonian captivity, the holy
man Tobias, believing liimself near death, advised his son
to seek out a faithful guide who should conduct him to
Ecbatana, where his kinsman, Gabelus, to wliom he had
lent a large sum of money, resided. The young Tobias
going out, met, under the guise of a traveller, ready for a
journey, the Angel Raphael, who instantly offered to_
conduct him safely. Arrived near Rages, tlie heavenly
conductor informed him that the Almighty had destined
him to be the husband of Sara, the daughter of his kinsman,
Raguel. At^ this r.ews, the young man was struck with
terror, knowing that Sara had been the wife of seven
husbands, each of whom had died the first night of their
• nuptials ; but the angel assured him that no evil would
happen to him if he obeyed his instructions. He did so,
and everything occured as the angel had j^redicted.
Gabelus was invited to the marriage, and paid Tobias the
debt which he owed. In a few days the travellers com-
menced their journey homewards. On their return, the
young Tobias iirst adored God, according to the histructions
of liis guide, and then approached liis father, who was
blind, and rubbed his eyes vsdth the gall of ''a monstrous
fish" wliich " came up to devour him,"* when he went to
wash his feet in the Tigris, and which the angol told him
how he might destroy. No sooner had lie anointed his
father's eyes, than the good old man, to his great joy,
recovered liis sight. The Angel having fulfilled his com
mission, made known to the happy family who he was, and
thus addressed Tobias: "The Lord li:ith sent me to heal
thee, and to deliver Sara, thy son's wife, from the devil.
For I am the Angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand
before the Lord When thou didst pray with tears, and
didst bury the dead, and didst leave thy dinner, and hide
the dead by day in thy house, and bury them by night, I
offered thy prayer to the Lord. And because thou wast
acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should
prove thee." Seeing them seized with fear, he added
sweetly, " Peace be to you ; fear not ;"t and then vanished
• Tobias, vi, 2. t rbid., xii.
OF MAN. 35
out of tlieir sight. The services which the Angel Raphael
thus rendered to young Tobias, are a figure of those which
(.ur Guardian Angels daily render us.
KxERCiSES— 1. Name the most perfect beings that Godhas created . —
2. Why are they the most perfect? — 3. \Vhen were the Ai.^els
cioated ? — 4. What are Angels ? ~ 5. What does the word ((ii:/el
signify? — 6. Did all the Aiij^els remain faithful to God? — 7. Whydees
God tolerate these spirits of darkness to tempt us ? -- 8. Classify the
An(,ois . —9. AVhat do the Uuly Scriptures teach us concerning their
occuy»iion ? — 10. What are our duties towards our Guardian Angel ?
i.
SECTION II.
Of Man.
God, wtehing to distinguish man from the rest of creatures,
smed to hold consultation within himself at the moment
o.' his cre^itrion, saying, " Let Us make man to our image
ai 1 Mkener)&. "* He formed his body of the earth, and
an-Jiated it uy an immortal soul, capable of loving, willing,
ant> tkinkiu;^. Man, thus formed to the image and like-
nesLi of God, w ^^apable of possessing Ilim eternallj', if he
render hiinseh »»'orthy of that happiness, by practising the
virtues wbich (wd has commanded.
A companion vjctS necessary for the Hrst man, and there-
fore a woman was ideated : she ^T^k■i, taken from his side, and
received the name of Eve ; thus was marriage first insti-
tuted. AU mankina Uave descended from our first parents,
Adam ai..d Eve, and o^jght, therefore, to consider them-
selves as members ol one common family, and love one
another as children of onvi common father. Observe, that
man has not, only a body, vvhich is mortal, but also a soul,
capable of flunking and loving, and which, in its own
nature, is immortal and indestructible.
One of the Eoman emperors had a stag wliich was nearly
tame. It was fed at the palace, to which it returned every
day, after having roamed through the neighboring forest.
The emperor, with whom it was a favorite, fearing that,
during his excursions, any one might pui'sue and wound
* Gen., i. v:6.
36 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
it, had a golden collar put around its neck, and on it were
engraved the vvord-s, "Touch me not: I belong to CoBsar.''
We came foi'th from God ; we belong to Him ; He there-
fore mai'ks us with liis seal — our souls with their faculties,
our bodies with their senses, bear the impress of the
Divinity. Let us, then, never suffer ourselves to be seduced
by bad example, or drawn away by passion, for thus wo
should become the slaves of the malicious epirit, who is
the great enemy of our happiness.
ExEKCiSKS. — 1- How did the Almighty distinguish man from the rest
of creatines? -- 2. How was Eve formed? — 3. What may we deduce
from the fact that we are descendants of the same father ? — 4- Of what
is man composed ?
SECI'IOIN III.
On Ihe Immoriality of the Soul.
The belief of the immortality of the soul wao held by tht.
ancient patriarchs and prophets, and by all the ador«.f » oj'
the true God, as well as by the foithi'ul, under t'ue iiew
dispensation; and no less made by them tho governmg
principle of their conduct. The most renowiiect bages of
antiquity — Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and many
others, have, by the light of reason, aided by some tradi-
tional reminiscences, acknowledged thac ueatli is not the
end of the whole man, but that his soa.- che more noble
part — survives this catastrophe, whicu ia nothing more
than the separation of the two subsuiaces — the soul and
the body — of which man is composes.
We are as convinced thai we possess these two
substances, as we are that we exist : for that which tlunks
in us, wliich is capable of so grea-« a vaiiety of knowledge
and sentiment, cannot be material. The dogma of the
immortality of the soul is not founded upon simple conject-
ures, or upon mere probabilities ; the primitive revelation,
the general persuasion of mankind, the ideas wlrich God
has given of his power, justice, and goodness, are all so
many foundations of this truth, as consoling to the
virtuous, as it is terrifying to the wicked
IMMOnTAI.lTV OF TITK SOri,. O I
After his sin, man was condemned lo dcatli ; his body
was to return into its mother dust: hut ii' his soul was to
perish with his Lo.ly, ii' this priuciphi of ViU-, which
emanated from the Creator, was to be annihilated, the
promise of a Redeemer would be absurd, and totally
without a motive. The belief oi' a future state, and conse-
quently of the imnKv.i'tlity uf the boul, was always one ol
the fundamental artic;le.s of I'eligion ; it was the hope of oui
first parents; it is also ours, and will be reaUzed if we
observe, ftxithfully, the precepts which the Lord has given
us. It was the belie!' ol' the entire world ; and idolatry,
far fi'om destroying it, had added to its strength, or rather,
it was the ubtiae of this belief which was one of the sources
of pagan worsliip ; . !br nevei- would divine honors have
been paid to men after their death, if there had not been a
tirm belief in a future existence.
God, in creatmg our souls with such rare capacities, could
have had no other oi^ject than t<-) make them happy, by
the possession of a good, suited to the nature with wliich
He had endowed them. liut can such good be found in
tliis woild? or, is the virtuous man always the happiest?
Alas ! every d^iy's experience teaches the contrary. The
divine justice is another proof of the soul's immortality.
We freciU(mtly, in this world, see vice triumphant, and
virtue trampled upon ; the impious man possessed of
affluence ; the good, in misery. (Jrder must be estabUshed;
virtue must be rewarded, and vice punished. But how
could order be established, or justice exercise her rights.
if the soul were not unmortal ? Remorse, it may be said, is
the punishment of guilt; but what would remorse be
without faith ? We may, then, say with truth, that to deny
the mimateriality of the soul, and consequently its immor-
tality, would not only be contrary to the general belief ol
mankmd, but even to sound reason and common sense.
This truth, believed at all times, and by almost all
mankind, is, no doubt, terrifying to the impious ; ii
pursues him everywhere; it rends his heart, notwithstand-
hig his efforts to tranquilli/,o it. The unbounded liljerty
which he gives to his passions, makes eternity terrible to
5f DffTirs OF A ;;Hiti3Ti.v:;.
him, because he has nothing advantageous to hope lor,
he wishes not to believe, but leniorse pursues him; he
doubts, but he cannot persuade hunself. Thus increduhty
discovers the guilty soul. " WTien the thought of the future
visits the Incredulous, he cringes, he trembles, he doubts,
he believes." The just, on the contrary, find in tliis truth,
the strength necessary for bearing with resignation the
sufferings of this life ; and on it, too, they found their
hopes for eternity,
A few hours before his death, Bernardine St. Pierre,
author of the Studies of Nature, seeing his children weeping
around his bed, addressed them in these afiecting terms :
'•My dear cliildren, death shall separate us for a short time
only : then, render not my departure so painful to me. J
feel that I (juit the earth, but it is only that I may
enter into life. Farewell ! — avoid evil — do good — live in a
Christian manner, — and we shall soon meet again, nevei
more to part."
Exercises. — 1. Are Christians the only oiiet kIw have recognized
the immortality of tiie soul?— i. Wh.atare the foundations of our belief
in the immortality of the »oa\ ? — 3. How is the proraiio of a Redeemer
a pi'oof of the immortality of the soul? — i. How has the belief of a
future state always been regarded? — 5. Show us that idolatry has not
destroyed this belief. —6 Is divine justice another proof of the
existence of a future state? — 7 How so? — 8. What are the effects oi
this belief on theimpio'is and the just?
si'C'riuN IV.
Of the Fall of Man.
jVIan, when he came forth from the hands of liis Creator,
was just, holy, happy, and adorned with many noble and
excellent qualities ; his understanding was illuminated b\
a divine light, which informed liim of all that was necessary
for him to know. Elis will was upright, without the least in
clination to evil ; nothing troubled the peace and tranquil
lity of his soul ; nor Avas his body subject to inconvenience,
disease, or death. The majesty of God required that He
should exact of man the devotion of his heart, and proofs
of liis love and obedience. When, therefore, He placed
THE FALL OF MAN. 39
him in the terrestrial paradise, He forbade him to touch
the fruit of a particular tree, but allowed him, at the same
time, to eat the fruit of every other. Tliis command, so
easy to be observed — particularly by man in the state of
innocence, when his will was naturally inclined to good —
was accompanied by an awful threat, that its violation
would be visited with the penalty of death : "In what day
soever thou shalt eat of it, thou shalt die the death."'*
Notwithstanding the benefits of God, and the fear which
this threat must naturally have excited, the woman yielded
to the suggestions of the devil. In order to deceive her, the
devil took the form of a serpent, and, having told her that
by eating of the forbidden tree, she should become like
God, knowing good and evil, she ate the fruit, and after-
wards made Adam a partner in her disobedience.
By their disobedience, our iiist parents lost all the
advantages which God, at their creation, had bestowed
upon them. A thick darkness overspread their under-
standing ; their will became depraved ; their passions
obscm-ed the light of reason ; and the incUnations of their
heart became corrupt and prone to evil. In losing original
justice, and separating themselves from God, they became
subject to eternal damnation ; their bodies were condemned
to labor, sickness, and death. These terrible consequences
of Adam's sin have descended to all his posterity. In
disobeying God, he lost himself, and the whole human
race, of wliich he was the head. We, being descended
from liim, have become inheritors of his sin and its penal-
ties, as we would have been of his innocence and happiness,
had he not violated the command which God had imposed
upon him. The sin thus transmitted to us is called
original sin, with which we are infected before our entrance
into the world. " I was conceived in iniquity," says the
Prophet David, "and in sins did my mother conceive
me r't and St. Paul, speaking of it, says, " By one man sm
entered the world, and by sin death : and so death passed
upon all men, in whom allhave sinned.' 't
The pagan pliilosophers themselves have, by the aid of
•Gen.,i,17. t Ps. I. 17. t Rom., v, 12.
40 DOTIES OP A CHRISTIAN.
human reason, arrived, not indeed at the knowledge of
tliis truth, but at the belief that mnn is born guilty of some
crime. The sight of the miseries to which, from infancy,
he is subject, has led them to this belief. Indeed, without
the belief of original sin, man is himself a mystery still
more inexplicable ; for how are we othermse to account for
all the conti'adictions that are" found in him ? So much
dignity and baseness ; so much light and darkness ; so
Uvely an inclination for happiness, and such profound
misery ! He approves what is good, but does not practise
it ; he condemns evil, and yet commits it. The knowledge
of original sin can alone unravel these difficulties, and
reconcile these contradictions.
The virtue and knowledge which man possesses, come
directly from God, and from the good qualities with which
he vvas originally endowed ; they are the beautiful remains
of a great edifice wliich has crumbled to ruins. Vice and
ignorance are the consequences of sin, which has corrupted
God's work, and so defiled his image in man, that it can
scarcely be recognized. We see an example of this rigorous
justice in the conduct of a king, who punishes a rebellious
subject by degrading him and liis postei'ity. Comparisons
drawn from human tilings are, however, always imperfect ;
the rules of human justice are but a shadow of tiiose of
God"s justice; they may assist our faith, but they cannot
discover to us the depth of that impenetrable mystery.
God had created man to render Mm and all his posterity
eternally happy. INIan being just and holy coming fi'om
the hands of God, it was his duty to preserve these precious
advantages, and to transmit them unimpaired to his
children. This he could have done by remaining faithful.
Had he persevered in justice, he would have communi-
cated his own happiness to his despendants, and have
thus secm-ed theii- eternal felicity. But by his disobedience
he forfeited all; and the consequences of liis sin — igno-
rance, inclination to evil, the miseries of life, the death of
the body, and loss of the soul — have been transmitted to
us. Thus, we should for ever have been excluded from
TflE FALL OP MAN. 41
Heaven, had not God j)rovided a remedy for our evils, by
aendinc; a Redeemer.
"And the Lord called Adam, and said to him, ' Where
art thou ?' And he said, ' i heard thy voice in paradise :
and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.
And Ho said to him, ' And who hnth told thee that thou
wast naked, but that thou hast eaten of the tree whereof I
commanded tlieo that thou shouldst not eat?' And Adam
said, 'The woman whom Thou gavest me for a companion,
gave me of the tree, and I did eat.' And the Lord God
said to the woman, '' Why hast thou done this ?' And she
answered, ' The serpent deceived me, and I did eat.' And
the Lord God said to the serpent: ' Because thou hast done
this thing, thou art cursed among all cattle and beasts of
the earth ; upon thy breast shalb thou go, and dust shah
thou eat all the days of thy life. I will put enmities
between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed :
she shiU crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her
heel.' To the woman also Pie said : 'I will multiply thy sor-
rows, and thy conceptions ; in sorrow thou shalt bring
forth children, and thou shilt be under thy husband's
power, and he shall hive dominion ovei- thee.' And to
Adam Ho said: 'Because thou hast hearkened to the
voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, whereof
[ commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat, cursed is
the earth of thy work : with labor and toil shalt thou eat
thereof all the <lays of thy life. Thorns and tliistles shall
it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herbs of the
earth. In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread
till thou return to the earth, ont of which thou wast taken :
for dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return.'" —
GrENESis, chap. iii.
Exercises. — 1. In what state was man created ? — 2. To wh:j t trial
did the Almighty subject him? — 3. l)id Adam remain faithful to this
command? — 4. What were the consequenoes of his disobedience? —
5. Have we become inheritors of Adam's sin? ~6. What is the sin thus
transmitted called?—?. Had the pagan philosophers any idea of the
original fall ? — 8. Can the contradictions that are found in man's heart
be accounted for without the belief of original sin?— 'J. What would
have been the consequence had man persevered in justice ?
42 DUTIES OP A CHRISTIAN.
CHAPTER 111.
ARTICLE II. — "and IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLV SON,
OUR LORD."
SECTION I.
Of the Promise of a Redeemer.
Man would be lost without resource, had not God't
mercy interposed to save him. He had otfended an infinite
majesty, and was, consequently, incapable of repaiiing his
sin, since he was incapable of offering infinite satisfaction ;
but, by a gratuitous mercy, God, before He pronounced
against Adam the decree of his condemnation, comforted
him with the promise of a future Redeemer, cursing the
serpent, and declaring that the seed of the woman should
crush his head, that is, should overcome the devil. Such
was the meaning attached to it by our first parents and by
their descendants.
This promise was not fulfilled until about four thousand
years ; but it was frequently repeated during tliis long
interval. It was renewed to Abraham, when he was chosen
to be the flither of a f)eople by whom God was particularly
to be honored. "Go forth," said He to him, "out of thy
country and from thy kindred, and out of thy father's
house, and come into the land which I sliall show thee.
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless
thee, and magnifj'' thy name" * * * " And in thee shall
ALL THE KINDRED OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED."* This prOmise
was renewed in similar terms to Isaac and Jacob. The
latter clearly foretold the coming of the Deliverer, prom-
ised from the beginning of the world. Being on his
death-bed, and announcing by tlie spirit of God to his
twelve sons, what was to befall their posterity in fu-
ture ages, he addressed Juda, liis fourth son, in these
remarkable words : " Juda, thee shall thy brethren praise j
thy hands shall be on the necks of thy enemies ; the sons
• f}«n., xii, 1.
THE PliOMISE OF A REDEEMER. 4.3
of thy father shall bow down to thee. • • • The sceptre
shall not be taken away from Jucla, nor a i-uler from his
thigh, till he come that is to be sent, and he shall be the
EXi'ECTATioN OF NATIONS.'"* Thus was the promise made to
Adam and to Abraham, more clearly developed. The
Redeemer of mankind is to bo born in the family of .Juda,
and the time of his coming is pointed out — when the
sceptre, that is the pre-eminence, or jjrincipal authority,
is taken away from the house of Juda.
Three hundred years after the death of Jacob, God,
wishing to deliver his people from the yoke of the Egyp-
tians, who oppressed them, raised up Moses, whom He
tilled with his spirit, and to whom He imparted the gift of
miracles. This holy man, having conducted the Hebrew
people to the borders of the promised land, and being now
on his deathbed, assembled them around him, and renewed
to them the promise of a Deliverer more powerful than
himself, and alone capable of introducing them into the
true land of promise, of which Canaan was but a figure.
Thus God kept up among his people the expectation of
the Savior, promised to their fathers. This Prophet,
greater than Moses, the Savior of his people, and Author
of a new alliance, before whom Moses was to be silent, and
who alone at his coming was to be heard to speak, is the
Savior of mankind, whose doctrine was one day to
enUghten the world, and of whom God himself would be
heard to say, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased; hear ye him. "t Until his coming, there had not
appeared in all Israel a prophet like to Moses, to whom
God spoke face to face, and who gave a law to his people.
Whilst Daniel poured forth his soul before the Lord, and
offered up fervent prayers for his people, the Angel
Gabriel came to liim by the orders of God, and instructed
him concerning the time when the Messiah, whom he
called the Eternal Justice and the Holy of Holies, should,
according to the decrees of God, appear upon the earth.
• Sen., ilix, 8, 10. t Matt . xvii, 5
44 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
He also informed him of the time in wliich the Christ, the
long-promised and expected Messiah, would be put to
death. This f;ivor was, he said, granted him by God,
because he was " a man of desires." *
ExKECis: s- — 1. AVhat would become of man had not the Messiah
made his appearance ? —2. At what circumstance, and for whatmotive
did God make the tirst announcement of the Messiah?— 3 What prom-
ise was afterwards made to Abraham?— 4. Tell us the prophecy of
Jacob . — 5. Did Moses foretell the coming of the Messiah ?
SECTION 11.
Development of the Promises. Future Conversion
of the Gentiles.
All the nations of the earth, with the exception of the
Jews, were plunged in the darkness and disorders of
idolatry. God was almost forgotten, and the devil, under
various forms, everywhere adored. To this impious woi-ship,
confirmed by time, all the passions ministered their sup-
port ; and it would seem as if men would never renounce
errors so ancient, so accredited, and so universal. God,
however, had resolved to destroy the empire of Satan, as
He had promised to Adam, and to recall mankind to the
knowledge of the truth.
So great a work was reserved for the Messiah ; and one
of the most sensible marks of his coming was, that he
would enlighten and convert all the nations of the earth.
Nor did God fail, from time to time, to make kno^vn this
event, so favoral^le to the Gentiles. All the Prophets
saw it by a divine light; they predicted it many ages
before its accomplishment, and on occasions, too, when it
appeared incredible. They all foretold that the Messiah
would dissipate the darlaicss wliich covered the face of the
earth; that he would enlighten the Gentiles; that he
would be their Lil?erator, as well as that of the Jews, and
would make of both but one people — adorers of the true
God. The Prophets were the harbingers whom the great
TCing sent before his Son, to keep alive in the minds oi
men the expectation of his coming.
• Vide Daniel, ix.
THE PROMISE OF A REDEEJfER. 45
All the characteristics of our Redeemer ware distinctly
pointed out, together with the chief circunistances which
should accompany his bu-th, life, death, and I'esuri'ection.
Ilis liistory may be said to have been written before he
made his apjjearance among men. The I'o^^al Prophet spoke
of the Messiah in the clearest terms. He styled hi-m his
Lord, and acknowledged him to Ije the Son of God. He
foretold that his kingdom would extend over all nations,
and would have no other lunits thin those of the universe ;
he foretold his crut^l death, and the chief circumstances of
his passion — that his hands and feet would b« pierced —
his body violently sus23end«d — his thirst quenched with
vinegar and gall — his garments divided, and lots cast for
his coat. Ho foretold, at the same time, that ''he should
not see corruption,'"* but woidd arise glorious from the
tomb. This iirediclion is the more remarkable, as it
was made more than a thousand years before its accom-
plishment. Isaiah prophesied of the Messiah with equal
clearness. He saw liim come forth 'Ji'om the root of Jesse,
and take bhth of a virgin Mother ; and he styled him the
Admirable — the Father of the world to come — the Prince
of Peace — the Emmaiind. He declared that liis kingdom
should be everlasting — that all the nations of the earth
would fall prostrate before him — that at his word the lame
should walk, the deaf heai", the dumb speak, the l>lind see,
and the dead rise again. Havhig announced the glories of
the Redeemer, he next foretells his humiliations. He
represents him as one unknown, despised — as the last of
men — a man of sorrows, and acquainted with infirmities :
and adds, that he would be spit ui>on, treated as a criminal,
reputed with the wicked, and that, having delivered him-
self for our ratisom, he should he led to death as a lamb to
the slaughter. But the Prophet subjoins, that by his death,
the Redeemer should become the head of a nimaerous
posterity, and that the Gentiles woukl flock to him in mul-
titudes, wliilst the Jews, on account of their incredulity,
would, with the exception of a small ntimber, be utterly
rejected. What can be more detailed, unless it be the
• Ps. XV, 10. Acts, ii, 27.
46 DlJTIE.S OF A CHRISTIAN.
Gospel history of our Redeemer's life? And yet Isaiah
^srophesiod more than seven hunded years before Christ's
coming.
The othor Prophets speak no less clearly of the Messiah.
One foretells that "Bethlehem Ephrata,"* one of the cities
of Juda, would be rendered illustrious by the birth of the
Messiah ; another that he would be sold for " thirty pieces
of silver," and that in the purchase of a ''jjotter's field""]
vliis money should be expended. The same Prophet repi'e-
sents him as a " king," but "poor, and riding on an ass,"}
when making his entry into Jerusalem. Aggeus publishes
the glory of the second temple, because the Messiah, " the
desii-ed of all nations, "§ would sanctify it by his presence.
The Prophet Daniel determines the precise time ol
Christ's coming. Whilst his mind was occupied on the
captivity of the Hebrew people, and the seventy weeks it
was to last, he was suddenly elevated by the spirit of God
to the contemplation of greater events, viz., that aftei
''seventy vreeks" of years, (four hundred and ninety
years.) a more deplorable captivity would termmate, and
the whole human race be set free by the death of Christ —
a fi-eedom consisting in a deliverance from sin, and in the
eternal reign of justice, — that in the last week the Christ
would be put to death, that a new alliance would be con-
firmed, and the ancient sacrifices abolished. After the
death of Christ, he further adds that there shall be horror
and confusion — the holy city and the sanctuary will be
destroyed — the people who had not known him mil no
longer be his people — abominations will be s*sen in the holj
place ; and a desolation, which " will continue to the con
summation, and to the end."||
Malachy, the last of the Prophets, foretells that the
sacrifices of the Jews should be rejected ; that in their
place a pure offering would be instituted, and that this
clean offeting and sacrifice should be offered among
the Gentiles in every place, from the rising of the sun to
the going down of the same, throughout the whole world :
• Micheas, v, 2. f Zach., xi, 12. Matt., xxvii, 9, 10-
t Zach., ix, 9. § Aggeus, ii 8. II Dan., be.
THE PROMISE OF A REDEEMER. 47
— ''foj-my n;ime is great among the Gentiles, saith the
Lord of Hosts.'"* These prophecies are all contained in
the sacred writings, the authenticity of which is attested by
the unsuspected testimony of an entire people, the Jews,
/ he declared enemies of Chiistianity, and who cannot avoid
reating these writings with veneration, though they liud
n them their own condemnation. From the Jews they
have descended to us; and it would seem as if God has
preserved that people amidst so many revolutions, and the
suljversion of so many nations, to give a living and striking
proof of the authority and veracity of these writings.
To convince the mostincredulousof the divinity of Jesus
Christ, and to prove that he is the true Messiah promised
b}^ the Proj^hets, we have but to compare the characteris-
tics of the Desired of all nations vnih. the events which took
place at the coming of Jesus Christ upon earth. If we look
at the predictions and then at the facts — holding the Old
Testament in one hand and the New in the other — the
resemblance is so exact that it is im[)Ossible not to rec-
f)gnize it. It is an additional fact, tliat at the time of
our Savior's birth, the expectation of the Messiah was
general, not only in Judea, but thi-oughout the entire East ;
and this is attested even by pagan writers. Suetonius tells
us that it was an old and constant opinion in the East, that
conquerors would come from Judea who would Ije masters
of the workl. Tacitus expresses liimself in similar terms.
•'Many," he says, "were at tliis period persuaded, that
men should come forth from Judea who would be masters
of the world."' This general expectation was founded on
the prophecy of Jacob, who foretold that tlie Messiah
would come when the Jews were no longer governed by
princes of the race of Juda, and on that of Daniel, who had
tixed the period of Christ's coming, to four hundred and
ninety years. The carnal Jews and the pagans understood
the terms of the prophecies relating to the Messiah in their
literal sense, and confounded liis spiritual empire with the
sovereignty of a conqueror ; but the prophecies are not on
this account the less true : and facts attest that tli'--
• Mai., i, 11.
48 DUTIES OF A OHRISTIAN.
Apostles, who came forth from Judea, brought all nati/jn»
under obedience to the law of Christ.
The Gospel points out the literal accomplisliment of th«
prophecies concerning the coming of Jesus Chi-ist. Ho
was born in Bethlehem ; he gave a now law to his people
— performed tho most stupendous miracles — sanctilied the
temple by his presence — died ignominiously on a cross —
rose again on the third day, &c.
The laiowledge of ths true God was preserved in the
kingdom of Ethiopia. Candace, who was its queen m the
time of the Apostles, sent one of her officers, with presents,
CO adore the Loi'd in the temple of Jerusalem. The officer
was returning, and reading in his chariot the prophecy ot
Isaiah, when the Lord ordered Philip the Deacon to follow
him. The passage which he was reading was this: ''He
was led as a sheep to the slaughter."* St. Philip being
come up, thus addressed him : " Thinkest thou that thou
understandest what thou readest?" "How can I,'' replied
the officer, "unless some man show nte ?" He then invited
St. Philip into his chariot, and begged him to tell liim '• of
whom doth the Prophet speak this ? of himself, or of some
other?"' St. Phihp availed himself of this opportunity to
speak to him of Jesus Christ, and of the necessity of
being baptized in his name. The officer beheved the word
of the Lord which was spoken to him ; and having come
to a place in which there was water, he asked what was to
hinder him from being baptized. St. Phihp answered,
nothmg, if he believed ; to which he replied, " I believe
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."t Then they descended
into the water, and St. Phihp baptized him. Then St.
Philip disappeared, and the officer continued his journey,
wondering at what had happened, and glorifying the Lord
for the grace he had received. It is supposed, and with
reason, that he afterwards made Jesus Christ known to his
countrjTxien, and thus became then- apostle.
Exercises — l.^V^lat was the conaition of almost the entire world
before the coming of Christ? — 2- lid God, at anytime, foreiell the
calling of the Gentiles to the knowledge of the Messiah ? — 3. Who
• Isa., liii, 7. t Acta, viii, 30, 34, 37-
MYSTERY OP THE INCARNATION. 49
predicted in the clearest terms the coming of tb« Messiah? — 4. Ten us
of the principal ciicuuistances in tlie life of Jesus Christ predicted by
David . -5. What did Isaiah prophesy concerning the greatness and
humility of the Messiah '.' 0 What does Daniel foretell of the Messiah's
a .vent? — 7 What is the prophecy of Malachy ? - 8. May we believe
in the authenticity of these prophecies '? — 9. How may we convince the
most incredulous of the divinity of Jesus Christ, and prove that he is
the true Messiah promised by the Prophets '.' — 10- What writings point
out the literal accomplishment uf lliese i>rophecies ?
CHAPTER IV.
ARTICLE 3. — '■ WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY
GHOST, AND BORN OF THK VIRGIN MARY."
SECTION I.
The Mysterrj of the Incarnation.
The only Son of God, who from eternity had dwelt in the
bosom of the Father, so humbled himself in time as to take
a body and soul like ours. He, ' • being in the form of God,
thought it no robbery to be equal with God ; but emptied
himself, taldng the form of a servant, being made in the
likeness of men, and in habit, found as a man.'"* The
Father did not become man, neither did *he Holy Ghost
it was the Son, the second person of the adorable Trinity
who assumed our nature. The manner in which this
mystery was accomplished can neither be conceived nor
expressed. The Gospel informs us, that when the time
decreed in the divine counsels had arrived, an angel was
deputed to the Virgin Maxy : that he saluted her with the
title, "Full of grace ;"t announced to her that she should
become a mother without ceasing to be a virgin ; and that
he who should be born other, would be the Son of the Most
High. The holy Virgin believed the word of the heavenly
messenger, and gave her consent. At that mstant the
mystery of the Incarnation was accomplished : the Holy
Ghost formed in her womb the body of Jesus Christ, and
united to it a pure soul, and then was etTected the union
• Phil., ii, 6, 0. t Luke, 1, 28.
50 DtPriES OP A CHRISTIAN.
of the divine and the human nature in the person of the
Son of God. "The lowliness of the inferioiy' saj's the
great Pontiff. St. Leo, " was not consumed in the glory of
the superior, nor did the assumption of the inferior, dimin
ish the glory of the superior."* The only Son of God
thus became man without ceasing to be God, and hence
the Blessed Virgin is truly the Mother of God, having con-
ceived and brought forth the Man-God. Mary in becoming
a mother, ceased not to be a virgin, Jesus Christ, her only
Son, having been conceived by the operation of the Holy
Ghost. As man he had no Father, — St. Joseph, the spouse of
the Blessed Virgin, having been given her by God, in ordei
to conceal this mystery under the veil of a chaste marriage •
but as God he had a Father, l)y whom he was begotten
from all eternity, and to whom he is equal: "Being in
the form of God," he "thought it no robbery to be equal
with God."t In Jesus Christ there is but one person, and
in this one person there are two distinct natures, the divine
and human; — the divine nature by which he is God, equal
to the Father ; and the human nature by which he is man
like unto us, and possessing all the faculties proper to our
nature.
Although this mystery infinitely surpasses the capacity of
the human mind, yet we believe it firmly, because God, who
is the Infallible Truth, has distinctly revealed it. It is by no
means contrary to reason, though intimtely above it ; and
we have in ourselves an image, which, though Axint and
imperfect, may assist our faith. The human soul, which is
of a spiritual and incorruptible nature, is united to a mate
rial and corruptible body ; and the union of these substan
ces, so very different in their nature, forms but one man
who is at the same time body and sj^irit; corruptibh
and incorruptible ; material and intelligent. In the same
way, the Divinity of the Word, and the nature of man,
united without being confounded, form but one Jesus
Christ, true God and true man, begotten by the Father
from aU eternity, and born of a Virgin in the fulness of
time ; — almighty as God, and surrounded with weakness as
• Serni. i, de Nat. t Phil., ii, 6
MYSTERY OF THE rNCARNATION. 53
man; ibr, except pin, and the conRoi|iiences inseparable
from it, such as ignorance and concupiscence, our Lord
was pleased to subject himself to all our miseries. lie was
subject to hunger, tliirst, fatigue, and all the inlirmities of
our nature, with this diiFerence alone, th:U he was subject
to these inlirmities only because he willed it; we suffer
lliem because they are the consequence of our condition,
to which we must submit, how conti-ary soever to our in-
clinations. We must not suppose that the divine natuie
was altei-ed in the Incarnation. God. without ceasing to
be all that He is, has doigned to unite himst'lf to human
naturiri; lie has lost nothing Ijy this union : his opprobriums
and his sufferings affected only his humanity ; as man He
suffered — as God He imparted an inlinite value to his suf-
ferings; as man He became an inrant, to be the model for
every age — as God-Man He redeemed the human race.
The Son of God became mm to redeem us from tin.
slavery of sin, and from the pains of hell, and to merit foi
us everlasting life, all right to which we had lost, as well
by our own transgressions, as by the sin of oui- lirst parents.
We had offended a God of inlinite majesty, and his justice
could not be satisfied, but by an atonement proportionate
to the injury which sin had offered Him. Man could not,
then, of himself, offer to God sufficient satisfaction, oi
merit his forgiveness. It was the Son of God made man,
true God and true man, who alone could offer that satis-
faction ; as a man, suifering for oui- transgressions, and as
God, giving to his sufferings infinite value. By tliis ad-
mirable invention of Divine Wisdom, sin is punished, and
the sinner is saved — "mercy and justice have met each
other: justice and peace have kissed"* — ample reparation
is made for the insult offered to the majesty of God by sixi.
Jesus Christ has, then, become otir Mediator — a perfect
Mediator- -one with the Father Ijy his divinity, and united
to us by his humanity, — who could suffei' like us, because
he possessed a nature like ours, and reconcile us to God,
being God himself; a mediator, who. by his perfect sancti
* Ph Ixsxiv, 11.
52 DTTTTES OF A CHRISTIAN.
tj'', is infinitely agreeaule to Iliiu, befoi'e whom he. presents
himself as a victim for the reconciliation of sinners. A
comparison will exhibit tliis truth in a stiil clearer light,
[f a king were insulted liy the lowest of his subjects,
neither the criminal himself, nor any other subject of the
king, could possibly offer lo his royal majesty a satisfaction
equal to the olfenco ; all that the criminal could do, would
be always much less th ;n the grievousness of the injury
requhed ; but if the sou of a king, the heir presumptive to
his crown, already seated with him uponliis throne, moved
with compassion for this unfortunate porson, descended
from that throne, divested himself of liis princely oi-na-
ments, and, covered with sackcloth and ashes, cast himself
at his father's feet, and offered to submit to the punish-
ment due to the transgressor, — we should readily con-
ceive that a humiliation so profound, was a satisfaction
proportionate to the majesty of the person offended ; that
the injury was fully repaired ; and that the king might,
without jDrejudice to the strictest justice, extend mercy to
the criminal. Tliis is an image of the grace which God
grants to sinful man, by the incarnation of his Son. How
admirable is He in all his works; and, above all, in this
great work of love ! VVliat benefit comijarable to that of
having given liis only Son to save us I What, then, ought
to be our gratitude towards our benign and most generous
Redeemer, who has stripped himself of liis glory, in order
to clothe liimself with our nature, to be subject to our
infirmities, an<l to apj^ear and be, in reality, like to us in
all things, sin and ignorance excepted !
A follower of the heresiarch Eutyches, speaking to a
■hiid who had been carefully instructed in the Catholic
Taith, wished to make him believe that there is but one
nature in Jesus Christ. For this purpose he took two
pieces of iron, which having made red hot, he joined
together so as to form one piece: "Thus," said he, ''the
two natures — the divine and human — being united together
in Jesus Chi'ist, form only one nature in his person."
"But," replied the child, " if a small ingot of gold be put
MYSTERY OF THE INOARNATIOX. 03
in place of one of the pieces of iron, and fused with the
other, would the mixture be all gold or all iron ? Would
not each piece remain what it was before ? Would not the
one be gold and the other iron, although both were united
together ? You cannot deny it. See, then, two pieces,
the one gold, the other iron, distinguished from each
other, though both form but one piece. In like manner,"
continued the child, "the divine natui-e and the human
are distinct from each other, and yet form but one person
in Christ.'' — Edifyixg Letters.
An ecclesiastic of Constantinople, named Athanasius,
blasphemously asserted in public, that the Blessed Vu-gin
should not be called the ilother of God ; and Nestorius,
the patriarch, uistead of putting a stop to the scandal, de-
fended the preacher, and maintained that there were in
Jesus Christ two persons, as well as two natures; and,
consequently, that his mother should not be called the
Mother of God, but Mother of the man, Jesus Christ. St.
Cyril of Alexandria opposed and refuted these errors, and
they were condemned by St. Celestine, Pope, in a council
held in Rome in 430. The following year a council as-
sembled at Ephesus, for the condemnation of these errors.
Nestorius, who was held in horror by all the people for his
imi^iety, was condemned, and deposed from his jaatriarchal
dignity, and the sentence of his excommunication pro-
nounced by the Fathers in the following terms: "The
holy Council, assembled by the grace of God in the city of
Ephesus, to Nestorius, the new Judas. linow that for the
impious doctrine thou hast preached, and for thy obstinacy
in maintaining it, thou art deposed from all ecclesiastical
functions and dignities by the holy Council, according to
the laws and rules of the Church." Nestorius was exiled
into Africa, by the emperor Theodosius the younger ; his
tongue shortly after became frightfully ulcerated, and was
devoured by worms to the very root. Aftei' having
wandered about in different places, he died at length i'j
great misery, and impenitent. — Merault.
54- DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
EXKECI3E3 — 1. By what mystery has God fulfilled the ;iroraise made
to Adam after his fall? — \V'hieh of the three divine Persons became
mm ■' —3 \\''hat mformation does the Gospel afford us of the manner
in which the mystery of the lusarnation was accomplished':' -4 How
many natures are there in Jesus Christ? —5. Can an image of the
Mystery of the Incarnation be foand in man? — G May we suppose the
liviue nature altered in this mystery?— 7- Why did the Son of God be-
i-omo man ? —8. Show that our divine Redeemer alone could repair the
injury made to God by sin . — 'J. Explain the truth of this assertion by a
comparison ,
SECTION 11.
Of the Birth of Jesus Christ.
Augustus C.Bsar, the Roman emperor, iicoving ordered a
census of all the inhabitants of his vast empire, Joseph and
Mary, that they might there be enrolled, repaired to
Bethlehem, to wliich city their family originally belonged.
Here, in the year of the ^vorld 4004, the Son of God ^vas
born in a stable, the poverty of St. Josei^h and liis hol^
spouse having excluded them iVom the inns. His I tulh was
announced by angels to the poor shepherds, who watched by
turns over theh flocks ; and as soon as the announcement
was made, these blessed spirits sang. ''Glory to God in the
highest-, and on earth peace to men of good will."* Eight
days after, he was circumcised, and on th9 same day, Mary
and Joseph, in obedience to the order thcj^ had received
from God by an angel, gave him the name of Jesus, which
signifies Savior, for he was come to save all men, and to
deliver them from sin and hell. To the name Jesus, is
added that of Christ, which signities, anointed or conse-
crated ; not that he was anomted in a sensible manner, but
on account of the hypostatic union of his human with the
divine nature. We ;dso call him "'our Lord," because he
has a particular right over all Chi-istians, whom he re-
deemed with his 2)recious blood.
A few days after his Circumcision, Jesus Clirist was
aclaaowledged as God and King by the Magi, or wise men,
who, guided by a stni-, came from the East to adore Vh'tp
• Luke, ii, U
THE BIRTH OF JKSUS CHRIST. 55
Being arrived at Jerusalam, the royal city, they inquired,
" Where is he that is born Iving of the Jews ? For we have
seen his star in the East, and are come to adore him."*
The doctors of the law, interrogated by Herod, king of
Judea, declared that the Messiah was to be born in Betlale-
hem. Herod, alarmed, and already meditating the death
of the Infant-God, desired the wise men to inform him,
when they should have found the cliild, that he, too, might
go and adore him. The wise men continued their journey,
found the infant whom they had so eagerly sought, offered
him gold, frankincense, and myi^i'h ; but, admonished by
an angel that they should not return to Herod, they went
back another way into their own country, f
In obedience to the law, the Blessed Virgin and St.
Joseph, forty days after the birth of Jesus, carried him to
the temple to present him to God, because he was " the
{ii'st-born."t The holy Virgin, at the same time, complied
to the letter with what the law of puriiication required on
the occasion. What admirable examples of humility and
obedience !
Herod, fmding that the wise men had returned home-
ward, conceived the design of murdering all the male
children of two years old and under, in and about Bethle-
hem, imagining that the Savior of the world would surely
be involved in the massacre ; but St. Joseph, forewarned
by an angel of all that was to happen, fled into Egypt with
Jesus and Maiy, where he remamed until after the death
of tliis barbarous prince. He then returned, and resided
at Nazareth of Galilee, for which reason Jesus was after-
wards, through contempt, styled a Nazarean.
At the age of twelve years, Josus accompanied his blessed
Mother and St. Joseph to Jerusalem, in order to celebrate
the Pasch, and remained in the temi^le, without their
Icnowing of his absence, till the evening of the first day of
their journey homeward, when they returned in search of
him to Jerusalem, where they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and pro-
• Matt., ii. 2. t Matt., ii, 8, 12. t Matt., i, 25.
56 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
posing questions to them, in a manner so extraordinary,
that those who heard him, were astonished at his wisdom
and his answers.* At the age of tlairty, he was baptized
in the river Joi-dan by St. John the Baptist, tho Holy
Ghost descended upon him, in the form of a dovo, and
the Eternal Father declared from Heaven, that he was
his " Beloved Son."t He was then led by the Holy Spuit
into the desert, where he fasted forty days and nights,
without any nourisliment. It is to honor this fast of Josus
Clirist, that the Church has estabhshed the annual fast
of Lent. He afterwards permitted himself to be tempted
by the devil, to teach us not to be troubled at temptations,
to instruct us in the manner of I'esisting them, and to
merit for us the grace necessary for overcoming them.
A good mother, as pious as she was enlightened in her
faith, recommended to her children, not to let any day pass
without begging the blessing of the Infant Jesus. " When
you wiU have finished your morning and night prayers,"
said she to them, '' imagine that the Blessed Virgin appears
before you, with the cliild Jesus iia her arms ; bow down
with respect, and say to her with fervor; 0 IMary, deign to
extend over me the hand of your divine Son, that, blessed
by him, I may avoid whatever displeases him, and do the
good which he wills ; that I may imitate him in his obe-
dience and his other virtues, and render myself worthy of
possessing him with you in Heaven."
Exercises.— 1. What does the Gospel say of the principal circumBtancea
of the birth of our divine Lord ? — 2 What mean these words Jesus
Christ?— 3 Why do we call Jesus Christ our Lord?— 4. Give us an
account of the adoration of tlie Magi . — 5, What did the Elcssed Virgin
and St. Joseph do forty uays after the birth of Christ ? — 0. What design
did Herod conceive, seeing that ho had been foiled by the Magi? —
7- How did Jesus Christ escape this cold-blooded massacre?— 8. With
what circumstances, in the private life of our Lord, does the Gosp**!
acquaint us 7
• Luke, ii, 46, 47. t Matt. , iii, 1 7
THE DOOTRDTB OF JESUS CHRIST. 57
SECTION m.
Of the Doctrine of Jesus Christ.
No sooner had Josus Christ come forth from the desert^
than he began to preach his Gospel, or New Law. From
among his disciples he selected twelve, whom he named
Apostles^ that is, pei'sons sent, because he destined them
for the conversion of the world. These were, Peter and
Andrew his brother, James and Jolan, Philip, Bai-tholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alplieus, Jude his
brother, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot.
The law which our divine Redeemer brought into the
world is truly admirable ; it forms a body of doctrine so
perfect, that we can neither add to it nor take from it. It
teaches man all his duties to God, to his neighbor, and to
himself ; it is suitable to him as a member of society and
as an individual, m every situation in life, and in every age
and nation. When we examine it closel}'', we are forced to
avow, that its Author possessed the most profound
knowledge of the entire man — of all his evUs, and of their
proper remedies ; of the end of his creation, and of the
means of its attainment.
It is evident that if men conformed to this morahty, they
would be as good and happy as it is possible to be on earth.
And if we represent to ourselves a truly Christian people,
who love God as their father and all men as their brethren,
who have but one heart and one soul, who all aspire to the
same end, walk towards the same term — the kingdom of
Heaven — who never make reason yield to passion, the
general interest to the individual, but who, on the contraiy,
place then' happiness in that of others, share in the pains
of their brethi^en, and assist in supporting them ; such a
people would, imdoubtedly, be a delightful spectacle to
the universe. Yet such would be a state composed of
true Christians ; peace, which is the sweetest fruit of chari-
ty, would reign in the midst of them ; the cry of discord
would never be heard, because they would be strangers to
injustice, violence, jealousies, or rivalry. Here we would
58 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
see no misfortune, because sin, the only real misfortune,
would not exist amongst them. Old age, infirmity, sick-
ness, would be balanced by the assurance of future happi-
ness ; and death itself would be regarded but as a passage
from temporary happiness, to the permanent possession of
that which is eternal. Yes, such are the fruits which the
doctrine of Jesus Christ, if practiced, would produce : "the
whole universe would be peopled with friends, and the
entire world would become a terrestrial paradise."
The mysteries which religion teaches, are, indeed, above
our comprehension ; but the motives of credibihty which
it supplies, are more than sufficient to satisfy any reason-
able mind. What sublimity, what sanctity in this morahty!
Fear not, says the Gospel, those who can kill the body, but
fear Him who can cast both soul and body into hell. Love
God with your whole heart -, and remember that no man
can serve two masters. Take heed you do not your justice
before men to be seen by them. If thy right eye scan-
dahze thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. If thy right
hand scandahze thee, cut it off and cast it from thee.
Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an
account for it in the day of judgment. Be not solicitous
what you shall eat or what you shall di-ink, or wherewith
you shall be clothed ; behold the fowls of the air, they sow
not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns, and your
heavenly Father feedeth them. Consider the lihes of the
field, how they gi'ow ; they labor not, neither do they spin,
but I say to you, Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed
like one of these. Do good to all, love yom- enemies ; for-
give and you shall be forgiven ; judge not and you shall not
be judged. A drop of water given in my name will not be
without its reward. Blessed are ye when men shall revile
and persecute you •, be glad and rejoice, for your reward is
very great in Heaven.*
Charmed with the sublunity of this heavenly doctrhie,
Jean Jacques Rousseau cries out with admiration, "Tha
sanctity of the Gospel speaks to my heart. How trifling
• See Matt., v, vi, x, and xii.
THE DOCTRINE OF JESU3 CHRIST. 59
live the pompous wxitings of the philosophers when com-
pared with it ! Can a book, so sublime, and yet so simple,
be the work of man ? Can he whose history it is, be no
more than man ? Is his the tone of an enthusiast or of an
ambitious sectary? What meekness! what purity in his
morals ! what touching grace in his discourses ! what eleva-
tion in his maxims ! what ingenuity and justness in his
replies ! what an empire over his passions ! Where is the
man — where the philosopher, who knew how to act, to
suffer, and to die, without weakness or ostentation ? When
Plato described his imaginary just man, covered with all
the opprobrium of crime, and worthy of all the rewards of
virtue, he depicted every feature of the character of Jesus
Christ. The resemblance is so striking that all the holy
Fathers have remarked it : it was impossible not to re-
cognize it. What folly, what blindness, what rashness, to
compare the son of Sophronius with the Son of Mary!
what a disparity between them in life and death ! Socrates
is said to have invented morality ; but others had practised
it before he taught it ; he described only what they had
done, putting into the shape of lessons that of which they
had given the example. Aristides had been just before
Socrates described what justice was ; Leonidas had died
for his coimtry before Socrates taught that patriotism was a
duty ; the Spartans had been temperate before Socrates
praised sol)riety, and Greece had abounded in vu'tuous men
before he defined virtue. But where did Jesus Christ learn
the pure and sublime moraUty of which he alone gave the
lessons and the example ? The death of Socrates, discom-sing
tranquilly with his fiiends, was the sweetest one could de-
ske ; that of Jesus Christ, expu-ing in torments and oppro-
brium, cursed and railed at by the people, is the most
appalhng that can be imagmed. Socrates, receiving the
poisoned draught from an executioner who shed tears in
presenting it, wished him a blessing ; Jesus dying in fright-
ful torments, prayed for his brutal executioners. Yes; if the
life and death of Socrates were those of a sage, the life and
death of Jesus Christ were those of a God. Shall we saj that
the Gospel history is but a fiction, the work of human inven
60 DITTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
tion ? Ah ! it is not thus that men invent. The facts relating
to Socrates, of which no one doubts, are far less authentic
than those concerning Jesus Christ. Indeed it would be
more incr'^dible that a number of men should agree to
fabiicate this book, than that one alone should be the
subject of it. Never did the Jewish writers find its tone or
its morality ; and the Gospel has characteristics of truth so
grand, so strilving, so perfectly inimitable, that the inventor
of them should be more astonishing than the heroes."
Diderot, as he one day read the Gospel for his daughter,
was surprised in the act by one of his friends, who testilied
his astonishment thereat. " After all," said this philoso-
pher, in self-defence, "what can I teach her that is better
for her to learn?" And the famous Byron, although an
enemy to true piety, wished that his daughter should be
educated in the j^rinciples of faith. How many others
would have admired the sublimity of the Gospel, and be-
lieved and adored its mysteries, had it not commanded the
avoidance of all evil and the practice of evmy vii'tue !
Exercises- —1- What di^l Jesus Christ on coming forth from the
desert? — 2. What is the meaning of the word O230.?/;e. 2'? — 3. Name the
twelve Apostles ? — 4. What are the special features ot the perfection of
Christ's doctrine V — 6. What would be the result if all men were faith-
ful observers of the law of Christ?— 6. Enumerate some of the evangel-
ical precepts .
SECTION IV.
Of the lAfe of Jcsua Christ — His Miracles.
Our Lord proved the divinity of his mission, not only by
the exact fulfilment of the prophecies which, for four
thousand years, had announced his coming, but also, by a
vast number of mu-acles which he performed in his own
name. If a prophecy is a proof of divine intervention, so
is a miracle, when incontestable. If, for example, we see
a man command natm-e, walk upon the waters, give sight
to the blind, raise the dead to life, — we cannot doubt that
such a man has been sent by God. We feel that such
THE LIFE OP JESUS CHRIST. 61
works are above human power, and that it is God alone who
can thus interrupt the ordinary course of nature. It is thus
our Lord proved his mission. He performed a great num-
ber of mh'acles, as the Gospel testifies ; he raised the dead,
appeased the stor-m, by commanding the wind and the
sea, twice multiplied bread in the desert to feed the mul-
titudes who had followed him, changed water into wine,
gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, motion to the
paralytic • he healed instantly the most inveterate diseases,
frequently by a single word, and sometimes, even, without
seeing the sick or approaching them.
Remark, that all the miracles of our Lord were useful to
men ; they were manifestations of his goodness as well as
effects of his power ; and were performed without ostenta-
tion. In vain did the Pharisees demand a sign from
Heaven, in vain did Herod desire to witness some prodigy ;
our Lord never did anything to gratify curiosity, but he
never refused to heal the sick, who had recourse to him.
The reality of his miracles is unquestionable ; they were
not wrought in secret, but in the temple, in places of
public resort, in the streets, and in the presence of an
entire people. Lazarus was raised to life at Bethania, a
short distance from Jerusalem, before a multitude of wit-
nesses •, the cure of the man who had been a paralytic for
tliirty-eight years, and that of the man born blind, were
eflected in the midst of Jei'usalem. This last miracle
excited much attention ; the chiefs of the synagogue ex
amined the man and his parents, but their interrogations
served but to confirm the miracle, and to extend its
publicity.
If our Lord performed some of his miracles in the desert,
it was in the sight of thousands of persons ; the greater
number took place in the presence of the Pharisees and
doctors of the law, his most declared enemies, and those
most willing to deny his power ; but, confounded by the
evidence of those miracles, instead of daring to deny them,
they were obliged formally to acknowledge the wonders
he performed. " What do we," said they, "for this man
doth many miracles ? If we let him alone, so, all will be-
62 DITTIES OP A CHRISTIAN.
lieve in him."* We must then conclude, that the miracles
of Jesus Christ were sufficiently numerous and evident to
prove him the Messiah, so long promised to mankind.
None of the ancient i)rophets performed such wonders.
The people, filled with admiration, acknowledged him as
the Messiah: "They glorified God, saj^ing, * A great
prophet is risen up amongst us, and God hath visited his
people.' "t
Our Lord not only performed miracles himself, but con-
ferred on his disciples the power of doing so. Sending
them to preach, he thus addressed them : " Hea] the sick,
raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils : freely
give."J And the Apostles did perform all these wonders
in the com-se of their mission. By them they proved thai
they spoke in the name of the Author of nature ; and ex-
traordinary was the effect which they produced, for, by
means of them, the whole world was converted to Chris-
tianity. This is a continually subsisting proof of the mu'acles
of the Apostles. EeUgion could not have been estabhshed
on a firmer basis. Its proofs, which consist in prophecies
and mii'acles, are adapted to the capacities of the most
simple, and are, at the same time, capable of convincing
the most enlightened. God raised up a crowd of inspired
men, who predicted, with the utmost exactness, events
which it was impossible to foresee by any natural means,
and which were to talce place in many ages after. To this
first proof he joined that of the most evident miracles,
performed in the sight of all Judea, multiplied in number-
less ways, and repeated throughout all parts of the world.
What stronger evidence can be requu-ed to produce a full
conviction of the truth of our reUgion, and an unhesitating
submission to all that it inculcates ?
A young man being in a company which declaimed
against mu'acles, felt it his duty to defend his faith on that
subject. At first he cited unsuspected witnesses — Celsus,
Juhan, and Porphyiy — who all admitted that Jesus Chi'ist
bad astonished the world by his mu-acles. He next adduced
• John, xi, 47, 48. t Luke, vii, 16. t Matt., x, 8-
THE VTETUE8 OF OXIR LORD. 63
the admissions of Rousseau and Voltau-e ; but, surprised to
find his hearers more incredulous than Rousseau, and' more
obstinate in the rejection of miracles than the impious
apostate himself, he said, "It appears that you are abso-
lutely decided not to yield to the authority of your masters.
You say it is dtfiBcult — nay, impossible, to believe our-
mysteries, or to practise our morality." " Yes," they cried,
" impossible 1 " " But," replied he, "if our mysteries be in-
credible, how is it that they have been credited throughout
the world ; or that the Gospel has had believers in every
condition of life, from the cottage to the palace, and at a
time, when Baptism was a prelude to martyrdom?" These
words covered them with confusion, and they knew not
what to reply. — Merault.
Exercises. — 1. Was it only by the exact fullllment of the prophecies
that our Lord proved the divinity of his mission ? — 2. Name the prin-
cipal miracles he wrought. — 3. Why is the reality of the miracles of
JesusChrist unquestionable? —4. ATh at did the Jewish people say at
the sight of the numerous miracles of our divine Lord ? — 5. Did Jesua
Christ confer on his Apostles the power of working miracles ?
SECTION V.
Of the Virtues of our Lord.
Jesus Christ practised in the highest perfection the les-
sons of vii'tue which he inculcated and the law which he
taught, so that his whole life was a faithful mirror of his
doctrine. The more we meditate on his actions, the more
shall we admii-e the emment sanctity displayed in his
conduct. He passed through the state of childhood to give
an example of %drtue suitable to that period of life. His
obedience to the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph contains all
the virtues of a child ; he is docUe and submissive ; he
hears, he follows in everything, the advice of those who
have authority over hun.* He continues to exercise these
tranquil and obscure virtues tUl the age of thirty, when he
commenced his public jVIission, at which period, the most
sublime virtues began to shine forth in his conduct. His
* Luke, ii, 51, 62.
64 DUTIEa OF A CHRISTIAN.
meekness was admirable. "The bruised reed he shall not
bi'eak, and smoking flax he shall not quench."* He never
rejected any one ; he received the greatest sinners with
kindness ; he did not hesitate to eat with them, and when
reproached for his condes'^ension, his only reply was that
he came to seek not the just but sinners ; that they who
are well need not the physician, but they who are sick. He
represents himself as a good father, who runs to meet his
returning chUd, casts himself on his neck, bathes him with
his tears, and delivers himself to the transports of joy in-
spu'ed by his retm-n. He embraces little children with af-
fection and tenderness, he imposes hands upon them and
blesses them, saying to his disciples, •• Suffer the little
children to come to me, and foi'bid them not ; for of such
is the kingdom of God. " f In everytliing he displays a
goodness which inspires confidence in all who approach
him ; but this did not prevent him from reprehending, in
strong terms, hardened sinners, and principally the Phari-
sees, whom he openly reproached with theii* pride and
hypocrisy.
Our Lord bore with invincible patience all the evUs
which befel him ; and if we follow him from the stable in
wliich he was born, to the cross on which he died, we shall
everywhere find him in sorrows, labor, and sufferings .
enduring hunger, thii'st, fatigue, and all the inconveniences
of the most rigorous poverty : possessing nothing — not
even a place " where to lay his head ;'"t subsisting on what
was voluntarily bestowed on him by those to whom he
announced the word of God ; supporting meekly the
pressure of the crowds that followed him, and the impor-
tunities of the infirm, by whom he was continually sm";
rounded, insulted, reviled, outraged ; — yet no desire of
revenge — no word of complaint escaped his blessed lijis
But it was in the different cii-cumstances of his passion
that he particularly exercised this vu'tue. In the midst of
the most unheard-of tortures, unjustly inflicted, he uttered
neither menace nor reproach ; and, hanging on the cross,
• Isa., xlii, 3. t Mark, x, 14. t Matt., viii, 2U.
TnE riRTTTES OF OTTR LORD. 65
he prayed for his executioners, saying, '' Father, forgive
them, for they know not what they do."*
His whole life was a continual exercise of the mo.st pro-
found humility : " Learn of me," said he, " because 1 am
meek and humble of heart, '"f Ho was born of a i)Oor
mother, passed thirty years in obscurity, and when he did
manifest himself to the world, he carefully avoided all
pomp and splendor. He sought not in anything his own
glory ; he even forbade the publication of his miracles. His
detachment from riches was so complete, that he may be
said to hive espoused poverty ; liis contempt of honors, and
his aversion to pleasure, were so great, that he courted
humiliations, and cheerfully embraced sufferings and the
cross. With good reason, then, did he reproach the Jews
with their disbelief of the truths which he announced to
them ; for sanctity, so perfect as his, was incontrovertible
evidence that he had been sent by God.
A holy man, when consulted on the great affair of salva-
tion, was accustomed to say: "In all your actions, have the
example of our Savior before your eyes ; thus you shall
acquire a sublime degree of perfection, and all the obstacles
which oppose your progress shall sjieedily vanish. On
awaking, consider with what fervor his holy humanity
rendered homage to his heavenly Father, and the disposi-
tions with which he devoted himself to his daily labors ;
and learn thence how you should pray, and sanctify the
duties of your calling. Reflect how lie conversed with his
neighbor — on his frugality and modesty at meals — and how
many and great were the privations to which he con-
demned himself out of love for us. If you are poor,
remember that your Redeemer had ' not where to lay his
head ;'$ if your enemies persecute you, think how the
Pharisees hated him ; if your friends forsake you, consider
that he was sold by Judas, denied by St. Peter, and aban-
doued by all his disciples. In a word, however you shall
be circumstanced, never lose sight of this divine Model,
and your life will be truly angeUcal."
• Luke, xxiii, 34. t Matt. , si, 29- t Matt., viii, 20.
66 DITTIES OP A CHRISTIAN.
Exercises. — 1- What virtues did our divine Lord practise during his
private life? — 2- What sublime virtues shone forth during his public
life ? — 3. What admirable lessons of patience and meekness did he give
to the world? — 4. IIow did he teach humility? — 5. AVhat practical
e.\amples did he give us during his passion ?
chaptp:r v.
THE MYSTERY OP' THE REDEMPTION.
AUTIGLE 4. — " SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, WAS
CRUCIFIED, DIED AND WAS BURIED."
SECTION I.
Of the Passion of Jesus Clirist.
The diviiie sanctity which manifested itself in oui' Ee-
deemer, the purity of his doctrine, and the splendor of his
miracles, instead of conciliating the Pharisees and chiefs of
the Jews, enkindled their envy, and inspired them with
the cruel design of putting him to death.
The moment in which ho was to abandon loimself to theii
fury, and effect our salvation, being near at hand, he seni
two of his disciples to prepare the Pasch, and in the
evening repaired with his disciples to the appointed place.
Having eaten the paschal lamb according to the law, he
arose from table, girded himself with a towel, and washed
the feet of his discijiles. He then returned to th'i table,
and having given thanks, took bread and blessed it, and
changed it into liis body. After this he took the crp, and
did in like manner, changing the wine, which it contained,
into his blood. When our Lord Ind thus institut'ed the
sacrament of the Eucharist, he commanded his Ap''stles to
do what he had done, thus to perpetuate, to the end of
time, the remembrance of his death. At the concJ'i^ion of
this memorable action, he made a long discourse to the
Apostles, in which he testified the greatness of his love for
them, warned them of their approachmg flight, anr* pj-om-
iaed to manifest himself to them after his resmTection.
Then leaving the supper-room, he repau-ed to the
THE PASSION OF JESTJS CHRIST. 67
Garden of Olives, where being arrived, he removed to a
short distance from his Apostles in order to pray. Con-
templating the enormity of sin, the greatness of the siiffer-
ings he vras to endure, and the abuse men would maka of
all ho was about to do for them, he fell into a mortal
agony, which caused him to sweat blood. He besought his
heavenly Father, that the bitter chalice, of which he was
soon to drink to the very dregs, might pass from him,
saying, "Father, if Ihou wilt, remove this chalice from me.
But yet, not my will, but thine be done."* Then an angel
iippeared, and conforted him.
As soon as Jesus had finished his prayer, Judas entered
che garden, at the head of an armed multitude. He ap-
proached Jesus and kissed liim ; for this was the sign by
which he had agreed to point him out. Jesus received
him meekly, called him by the name of friend, and con-
tented himself with reminding liim of the, awful crime he
was going to perpetrate. He then asked those tvho
accompanied Judas, whom they sought, and on their
replying, ' ' Jesus of Nazareth, ' ' he said to them, " I am he." f
At these words, they fell prostrate on the ground. This
fall, as wonderful as it was unexpected, ought to have
made them enter into themselves, and acknowledge the
divine power of him whom they had come to seize ; but
their heai'ts were hardened, and as soon as he had per-
mitted them to rise, they came forward, seized his sacred
person, and dragged him, bound with cords, into the city
of Jerusalem. In the mean time, all his disciples aban-
doned him and fled.
The Jews &st led him to the house of Annas, the father-
in-law of Caiphas, who was High Priest that year. Caiphas
questioned him concerning his disciples and his doctrine,
and Jesus repUed, " I have spoken openly to the world. . . .
and in private I have spoken nothing. Ask them who have
heard what I have spoken to them." 'J At these words, one
of the attendants gave Jesus a blow, which he received with
unexampled patience. The chiefs of the Jews, knowing
• Luke, xxii, 42. t John, xviii.5. t John, iriii, 20, 21.
6 8 DUTIES OP A CHRISTIAN.
well that they could not convict him of any crime, sought
ialse witnesses, to have some pretext for condemning him
to death ; but this design not succeeding, on account of th«
contradictions in theu- evidence, the High Priest adjured
Jesus to say, if he were the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus
ropliod, ''Thou hast said it. Nevertheless, I say to you.
hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right
hand of the power of God, and coming m the clouds of
heaven. Then the High Priest rent his garments, saymg :
He hath blasphemed ; what further need have we of wit-
nesses ? Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy —
Wliat think you ? But they answering, said : He is guilty
of death;" a sentence which was instantly confirmed by
the princes of the priests, and the Pharisees who were
present. Then, those who were near Jesus, spat on his
face, and having bandaged liis eyes, struck hiin on the face,
saying, "Prophesy unto us, O Christ, who is he that struck
thefe ;"'* and many other blasphemies they uttered against
him. But the denial of St. Peter affected Jesus more
sensibly than all those outrages. This disciple having fol-
lowed his divine Master at a distance, entered the house of
the High Priest, where, being charged by a servant-maid
as one of Chi'ist's disciples, he mstantly denied having ever
known him. The charge being reiterated, the Apostle
repeated his denial. A servant affirmed that he had seen
him in the garden, and Peter, seized with fear, swore that
the assertion was untrue. Thus did he, three times, deny
his Master ; but Jesus, by looking upon him, brought to his
remembrance the warning he had given him, that he would
thrice deny him; and Peter, touched with repentance,
went out and wept bitterly. Jesus remained durmg tae
night in the hands of his cruel enemies, from whom he
received unheard-of injuries.
Morning being come, the princes of the priests, and i lie
ancients of the people, took counsel against Jesus, that
they might put liim to death. They led Iiim to the Romui
governor J Pontius Pilate, declaring that he was a man who
perverted the nation, refused to pay tribute to CiBsar, and
• Matt., xiv, 65, IMi.
TITE PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST. 6§
styled himself king. Pilate interrogated Jesus, but found
no eiuno in him. lift therefore told the Jews to take
and judge liim acco/tling to their law ; but they replied it
was not lawful for them to put any on© to death, and.
redoubling tieir cla'nors, declared, th it Jesus, by lus doc-
trine, had raised a sedition amongst the people, from
Galilee even to Jerusalem. Pilate, hearing that Jesus was
a Galilean, and, on this account, subject to Herod, whd
governed that country, was well pleased to rid himself ot
the affair, and sent him to this prince, who was then in
Jerusalem. Herod questioned Jesus on the accusations
against him, but not being able to induce liim to give any
reply, he treated him as a fool, and having, in mockery,
clothed him with a white garment, sent him back to Pilate.
The governor, who possessed great natural probity, seeing
tliat it was through envy Jesus had been delivered to liim.
was desirous of setting him at liberty ; but being unwilling
to displease tno Jews by releasing a man charged with
refusing tribute to Cffisar, he endeavored to assuage their
fury. He called to him the accusers of our Lord, and told
them that neither he himself nor Herod had found him
guilty of any crime ; but, to gratify them, he would order
him to be scourged, and then dismiss him. The Jews
being yet dissatisfied, Pilate sought by other means to
release our Lord. It was customary at the solemn feast of
the Pasch, to deliver a criminal at the reque-st of the Jews :
and a notorious robber and murderer, n;imed Barabbas,
happened to be m prison. Pilate, therefore, proposed
Jesus and Barabbas to the people, and asked wliich of the
two they would have released — not supposing it ^jossible
they would demand the liberation of a thief and a mur
derer, that the meek Jesus, in whom no crime could be
fomid, might be put to death. But the prmces of the
priests persuaded the people to demand Barabbas ; where-
upon they all cried out, ''Away with tlxis man, and release
unto us Barabbas.''*
Pilate finding aU his expedients unavailing, resolved on
having Jesus cruelly scourged, hoping that the sight of his
• Luke, Xjj-.ii. is.
70 DOTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
bodj'. covered with wounds and blood, might move the
people to compassion. He then abandoned him to the
fm-y of the soldiery, who, having torn liim with whips,
clothed him with a purple garment, put a crown of thorns
on his head, and a reed in his hand ; then kneeUng before
him, they saluted him in mockery, saying, ••Hail, king of
the Jews."* They then spat on his face, and taking the
reed out of his hand, struck him with it on the head.
Pilate seing Jesus in this piteous condition, led him
forth from the pretorium, and havmg seated himself on
his tribunal, he said to the Jews, "Behold the man;'"
adding, that though he had thvis punished him, he found
no crime in him. But the princes of the priests, and their
officers, on seeing Jesus, cried out, "Crucify him! crucify
him !"' Pilate then said, " Take him you, and crucify him :
for I lind no cause in him." They repUed, '• We have a law ;
and according to the law he ought to die, because he made
himself the Son of God. WTien Pilate, therefore, had heard
this saying, he feared the more," and sought some other
ex23edient to save Jesus ; but the Jews, unwilling to suffer
the least delay, cried again, "If thou release this man, thou
art not Caesar's friend."! Intimidated by these words, the
wretched judge caused water to be brought, and washing
his hands, said, "i am innocent of the blood of this just
man." The Jews, to remove all apprehensions from his
mind, exclaimed, "His blood be upon us, and upon our
children !,"t Jesus was then abandoned to the fury of his
implacable enemies, who, having stripped him of the pm-ple
cloak, clothed him with his own garments, placed a heavy
cross on his mangled shoulders, and, in this condition, led
him out of the city to be crucified. Exhausted by fatigue
and suffering, our Blessed Savior fell several times under
this enormous burden ; but at length, a man named Simon,
who was coming out of the country, was forced by the
soldiers to carry the cross. We are ignorant of the motive
of this conduct ; but it is probable, it was through fear lest
our Lord might die on the way, and that his crucifixion
• Matt., xxvii, "29. t John, xix, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12
t Matt., xxvii, 24, 23.
THE PASSION OP JESUS CHRIST. 71
tni;,'ht thereby bo prevented, rather than through any feel
in,!.' of compassion, that they thus acted.
Doing arrived at Mount Calvary, they nailed his sacred
h liids and feet to the cross, and placed over his head this
in.<v'.iption : ''Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.''*
"Whilst Jesus hung in agony on the cross, he was assailed
with blasphemies. Those who passed by shook their heads,
saying. "Thou that destroyest tlie temple of God, and in
three days dost rebuild it, save thy own self: if thou be
the Son of God, come down from the cross." The pruices
of the piiests, the scribes, and ancients, also mocked liim,
saying, " He saved others ; himself he carmot save." t The
two thieves who were crucified with lum, the one on his
right hand, the other on his left, made him the same re-
proaches : one of them, however, was converted, and
begged of Jesus to remember him when he should come
into Ills kingdom : — "Lord, remember me when thou shalt
come into thy Idndom." Jerus mercifully replied, "Tliis
day tliou shalt be with me in P aradise." t He prayed to his
Father to forgive his executioners : " Father, forgive them,
for they know not what they do ;"§ then addressing him-
self to his holy ]!\Iother, whom he saw standing at the foot
of the cross, he commended her to the care of St. John t
"Woman, behold thy son ;" and to the disciple, "Behold
thy mother." He afterwards said, "I thh-st-,"ll upon
wliich he was presented with vinegar to drink. Thus were
fuliilled the prophecies whicli had foretold that he would
be so treated for love of us, and that by his bruises we
should be healed.
A young' lady, desirous of entermg the rehgious state,
visited the superioress of a convent, and informed her of
her intention. The superioress, wisliing to put the young
lady's constancy to a trial, remarked to her, that thehs
was rather a strict rule, and such as she, jsrobably, might
not wish to embrace. She then conducted her to the
chapel, and told her of the many hours which the sisters
• John, xix, 19. t Matt, xsvii, 39, 40, 42.
t Luke, xxiii, 42, 43. § Luke, xxiii, 34. II John, xix, 26, 27, 28-
12 DUTIES OP A CHRISTIAJI.
spent in prayer, not only during the day, but even for a
considerable portion of the night. She next showed her
the dormitory, with the liard and inconvenient beds on
which they took tlicir short repose ; and then led her to
the other parts of the ho us® in wliicli nature had most to
suffer, — to the refectory, where they took theii- coarse and
homely meals •, to the chapter-room, in wliich the slightest
fault was visited with severe penance, &c. ; — and then asked
her, would she, under such chcumstances, persevere in her
resolution. "Madam," rephed the young lady, "I see
clearly that naturo shall here find much to sufi'er. One
thing, however, consoles me ; — I perceive that every apart-
ment is furnished with a crucifix, and, with such a
spectacle before my eyes, can any austerity be insupport-
able?''
Exercises. — 1. What enkindled the envy of the Pharisees and the
chiefs of the Jews? — 2. Rohite the history of the institution of the
Blessed Eucharist . — 3. JMention the principal instances of the agony
of our Lord in the Garden of Olives . — 4- Who delivered Jesus to the
chief priests? — 5. Relate how he was delivered . —0. Where did the
Jews first lead him ? — 7. How was ho treated there ? — 8. What did the
Jews do to convict him ? —9. What affected Jesus mure sensibly than all
those outrages? relate the circumstances . — 10. Why was Jesus
Christ led before Pilate ?— 11- How was he treated by Herod ? - 12. \V hat
did Pilate to effect the release of Jesus? — 13 Wliat was Pilate's re-
solve on finding all his expedients unavailing? — 14 Describe the
scourging. —15. What treatment did Jesus receive from the poijulace,
after Pilate had abandoned him to their fury ?— 16 Give us a descriijlion
of our Lord's death •
SECTION II.
Of the Death and Burial of Jesus Christ.
When our Lord had hmig during three hoiu's in excru-
ciathig agony on the cross, he cried out in a loud voice,
"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit,"'* and
bowing down his head, he expired. The most stupendous
prodigies bore evidence of his divinity. The earth trembled;
the rocks were rent asunder ; the sepulchres were opened j
* Luke, xxiii, 46.
DEATH AND BURIAl. OF JBSUSJ CHRIST. 73
the dead arose ; the veil of the temple was rent from top
to bottom ; the sun was totally eclipsed, though at full
noon, so that St. Denis, the Areopagite, had reason to say,
that either the God of nature was expiring, or that the end
of the world was at hand. Yet these prodigies did not
effect the conversion of the Jews. Some, indeed, after the
example of the Roman centm-ion, struck theii- breast, and
said, "Indeed tliis man was the Son of God:"* the rest
remained as obstinate as ever. Not wishing that the bodies
should remain on the cross durmg the Sabbath, the Jews
besought rilate that the legs of the suflerers might be
broken, and their bodies taken down. The governor,
accordingly, sent soldiers, who broke the legs of the two
criminals ; but seeing Jesus aheady dead, they pierced his
side with a lance.
Thus was fulfilled what the prophet had predicted:
"You shall not break one of his bones;" and, "They
shall look on him whom they pierced."! Joseph of
Arimathea, desirous of interring the body of Jesus, begged
it of Pilate, and, assisted by Nicodemus, took it down from
the cross, embalmed it with precious ointments, laid it in
a new sepulchre wlaich had been cut into the rock, and
closed up the entrance with a large stone, in the presence
of the lioly women by whom they were accompanied.
By these words, Jesus Christ died, J we are to under-
stand, that his soul was separated from his body -, but we
must remark, that the Divinity did not separate itself from
either : it remamed constantly united to botn. Our blessed
Lord, by submitting to death, sanctitied our death, and
merited for us the gi-ace of rendermg this punishment of
sin, a voluntary oblation, and one most agreeable to God.
He submitted to the humihation of burial, to take away
from this state what is most terrible to nature, and to fill
us with the consohng hope of our future resurrection. The
sight of our Redeemer enclosed in a tomb, from wliich he
afterwards arose glorious and immortal, ought to assure us
of the accomplishment, in our regard, of these words of St.
• Mark, xv, Z9. t John, xLx, 36, 37. t See John, xix, 30.
74 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
Paul : " It is sown in corruption, it shall rise in incorvup
tion. It is so\vn in dishonor, it shall rise in glorj'. It is
sown in wealaiess, it shall rise m power. It is sown a
natural body, it shall rise a spiiitual body "*
It was remarked of St. Eizear, count of Arian, in Pi'O
vence, France, that he was never dejected, never moved by
the most trying events. Wliatever was said or done, he was
still the same. His pious countess once asked him, how it
could possibly happen. ''How can I,"' said he, "be dis-
pleased with any one, or utter complaints, when I thmk ol
the ignominies which my Savior has endured for me ? What
frightful torments has he not suffered for my salvation !
The thought alone of these sufferings, and of liis vronder-
fal charity in praj^ing for those who cruciiied him, covert
me with confusion, when I reflect how little I have yet beeK
able to suffer for him." — SuRius.
Exercises. — 1. '.Vhat stupemlous prodigies toolc phu-e :it the deatli
«f Jesus Clnist ".' — 2 How was bo baricd '! — a W hat are we to under-
stand by I !ic e.-cprcssion. Jesus Chnst die !? — 4. Whj' did our blessed
Lord submit to the luuuiliatiuii of deatli and burial?— 5 With what
hope should tl>e tleath and glorious resurrection of Jesus tJiiiioi mspire
us?
CHAPTER VI.
ARTICLE 5.— -'• HE DESCEXDED INTO MEL!., THE THIRD
DAV HE Xl'.OSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD."
SEGTIOxN I.
Chrisfs Descent into Limbo.
Jesus Clirist being dead, Iris soul descended into hmbo,
a place of rest, in which the patriarchs and saints of the
Old Law were coniined, expecting the coming of their
Deliverer. These holy souls had loved and glorified God.
and had lived in expectation of the ^Messiah ; but they
♦ 1 Cor., z
RliSURKECTION OF JESTJS CHRIST. 75
were not yet admitted into Heaven, the gates of which had
been closed by the sin of our first parents, and were to be
opened only by the death of the promised Redeemer. At
the presence of the holy soul of Jesus Chiist, united to his
divinity, these just souls began to enjoy the happiiaess
they had so long and so ardently desired, but they were
not admitted into Heaven until the day of the ascension ;
because it was fitting that he, who, by his death, had
opened its gates, should be the first to enter. On this day,
then, they entered with him to grace his triumph, and to
enjoy for ever, the fruit of their labors.
Whenever you prejDare yourselves for Communion, said
a holy loerson to his disciples, endeavor to enter into the
dispositions of the holy souls who, for so many ages,
expected, in limbo, the coming of the Messiah. Wlio can
express the joy which they felt when they saw theii' most
merciful and divine Liberator ? With what transports
must they not have prostrated themselves before him, to
render liim their homages, and to thank him for the
satisfaction he had offered for them, and the favor he had
bestowed, in thus communicatmg himself to them ! They
were occupied solely with him, deeming nothing else
worthy of their attention. Eenounce, in the same manner,
every other affection, and attach youi-selves to him alone,
for time and eternity.
Exercises. — 1. What means the word limbo? — 2- In what state
were the souls who were there detained ? — 3. When did they ascend
into Heaven ?
SECTION II.
Of the Resun'ection of Jesua Claist.
On the morning of the Sabbath (Satm-day), the Jews
went to Pilate, and reported to him what our Lord had
Baid concerning his resmTection. They prayed him to
place a guard at the sepulchi'e, lest the disciples might
take away the body of then- Master, and then report that
he was arisen from the dead. Pilate gave them the permis-
T6 DCTIES OP A CHRISTIAN.
sion to secure the sepulchre : ''You have a guard," said he ;
" go, guard it as you know."* The prmces of the priests,
having visited the body of Jesus Chi'ist, sealed the stone
which closed the entrance of the sepulchre, and placed
their guards around it. Thus, by the wise dispensations
of Providence, were the death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ rendered more certain and authentic, by the very
precautions which his enemies had taken to prevent all
deception. If the body of our Lord had not been visited
in the tomb, more than twenty- four houi-s after it had been
laid therem, the Jews might say that he did not die; and if
they had not placed about it theh own guards, they might
accuse the Apostles of having bribed the Roman soldiers,
t» permit them to take away liis body.
On the first day of the week ( Sunday ), our Lord having
reunited his soul to his body, arose glorious and immortal
from the tomb ; an angel descended from Heaven, rolled
back the stone which closed the entrance of the sepulchre,
and sat upon it. The guards were terrified, ''and became
as dead men ;" but recovering themselves, they ran "into
the city, and told the chief jDriests all things that had been
done. And they being assembled together with the an-
cients, taking counsel, gave a great sum of money to the
soldiers, saying : Say you, his disciples came by night, and
stole him away when we were asleep. And if the governor
shall hear of this, we will persuade him, and secure you."t
Mary Magdalene, not aware of what had passed, or that
the sepulchi-e had been guarded, left Jerusalem at an
early hour, accompanied by the other holy women, to
embalm the body of their Master. When they arrived at
the sepulchi'e, they found it open, and Mary Magdalene
returned to acquaint the Apostles with the circumstance.
St. Peter and St. John instantly ran to the monument, and
finding only the linen cloths in which the body had been
wrapped, departed astonished, but not yet beUevuig that
our Lord was risen.
Mary Magdalene remained alone at the sepulchi'e : an
• Matt-, xxvii, 65. t Matt , xxviii, 4, 11, 12 13, 14.
REStTRRECnON OF .TESUS CHRIST. 77
angel appeared to her, and told her that our Lord had
risen ; and not long after, our Lord manifested himself to
her. ''Go," said he, "to my brethren, and say to them : I
ascend to my Father and to your Father, to my God and
youi* God."* Whilst she went, he appeared to the holy
women who had remained boliind -, and on the same day,
he showed himself to two of the disciples, on their way to
Emmaus, who thereuiDon hastened back to the Apostles,
whom they found discom-sing on the I'esurrection, and
declaring that our Lord had appeared to Simon. "Now,
whilst they were speaking these things, Jesus stood in the
midst of them, and saith to them : Peace be to you ; it is
I ; fear not."t Our Lord spoke to them for a long time,
and reproached them with theii' incredulity, in not behev-
ing those who had assured them of his resm-rection. St.
Thomas had been absent on this occasion, and refused to
beldevQ in the apparition. ' ' And after eight days agam his
disciples were witliin, and Thomas with them. Jesus
Cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst,
and said ; Peace be to you." Then addressing Thomas, he
bade him put his hand into his side, and liis lingers into
the wounds of liis hands. Thomas :',ns\vering, said, with
astonishment and humility, " My Lord and my God I Jesus
saith to hhn : Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou
hast believed : blessed are they that have not seen and
have believed." J
During the forty days which our blessed Lord lemained
on earth, he repeatedly appeared to the Apostles, and to
the disciples assembled in great numbers. He conversed
with them, ate with them, recalled to then- remembrance
what he had taught them before his death, instructed
them concerning the establishment of hr.-. Church, perform
ing miracles in then- presence — and thus- convincing them
that he was truly risen from the dead.
The prophet Jonas is a most striking figure of our Lord
in this mystery. He had been commanded by God to
• John, XX, 17. t Luke, .sxiv, 36. j Jonn, xx, 26, 28, 29-
*8 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
pleach penance to the Ninivites, but fearing that thia
wicked people might put him to death, he embarked
for Tharsis. God, displeased with his disobedience, raised
a fui'ious tempest. The terrified sailors, considering it
Bupernatm-iil, concluded that there was some criminal on
board, on which account thoy were in danger of shiji wreck.
To discover him, they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonas.
He acknowledged frankly that he was the guilty person,
and begged the sailors to thi-ow him into the sea, lest they
should all perish through his disobedience. They consented,
though reluctantly ; and, no sooner had they cast him
overboard, than the tempest ceased. But God, who was
resolved to save the prophet, and in his person to give a
figure of the resurrection, caused a large whale to swallow
him aUve, and at the end of three days, to cast him
unmjured upon the sea shore. Then the prophet, in-
structed by his experience, accomplished his mission,
and preached conversion to Ninive.*'* Om* Lord assm-es Via
that Jonas, in the whale's belly, was a figure of himself,
who was to arise on the third day. David also armounces
this mystery, when, in the name of the Messiah, he says,
'•'Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell ; nor wilt thou give
thy holy one to see corruption.' 't
Exercises- —1- What preeauticns did the Jews take to prevent the
disciples from canying away the budy of Jesus Christ ? — 2- How did
these very precautions render the resurrection of our divine Lord move
authentic ? — 3 Vv'hen and how did our Lord arise from the tomb ? —
4. TThat incidents took place when Magdalene and the other holy
women went to the sepulchre to embalm the body of their Master? —
5. Enumerate some of the apparitions of our divine Lord on the day of
his resurrection .
CHAPTER VII.
ARTICLE 6. — " HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, SITTETH Af
THE Rir.HT HAND OF GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY."
Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus Cln-ist assembled
lus disciples on Mount OUvet, and having raised his
• See Jonaa. t Ps. xv, 10.
RE8URRB0TI0N OF JESUS CHRIST. 79
hands and blessed them, he ascended, in their presence,
into Ileaven. They continued to look after him, untQ a
cloud intercepted their view ; then two angels appeared to
them, and told them that .he would, one day, descend from
Ileaven, in tiie same way that they had seen him ascend.
In saying that Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of God,
liis Father, we borrow from human things, a sensible
image, in order to have it the more clearly understood,
that the sacred humanity of Jesus Christ is raised to the
highest degree of glory and power in Ileaven, and that he
rests, after his labors, on the tlii-one of his eternal empire.
Wlien a king associates his son with him in the govern-
ment of his kingdom, he places him on a thi-one by his
side, to show that he wishes to have him regarded as his
equal, and that all persons in his kingdom should render
him the same respect and obedience which they pay to
liimself.
The Holy Scripture represents God to us seated upon
his thi'one, as the Sovereign Lord and Master of the
universe. When, then, we say, that Jesus Christ sits on
the right hand of God. his Father, we aro to understand,
that being, as God, equal to his Father, he is, as man, by
reason of his glory and power, raised above aU created
beings : his sacred humanity enjoying the glorious privilege
of being united to the Eternal Word.
Our divine Lord, in the kingdom of his glory, is not
unmindful of us : he is attentive to our wants ; he exer-
cises for us the office of Mediator, presenting to his
Eternal Father the wounds he received in his passion,
thereby to obtain his mercy for men; and shall not tho
voice of his blood be more powerful in obtaining that
mercy, if we avail ourselves of its merits, than that of our
sins in drawing down upon us the chastisement of Divine
Justice ? He is in Heaven as om' King and Lord, he has
sovereign dominion over us, not only because he has
created and preserves us, but also because he has redeemed
us. We belong to him, therefore, as his inheritance, his
conquest, and the price of his blood.
Jesus Christ, in Heaven, is our High Priest. He exer-
fiO DUTIES OF A OHRISTIAN.
cised this office on the cross, by offering himself to hia
Eternal Father, as a victim of propitiation for our sins : he
exercises it now in Heaven, where, being at liis right
hand, he presents himself before Him ; and, as he possesses
an eternal priesthood, he can always save those who ap-
IDroach God through his mediation. Having, then, for
High Priest, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, let us approach
his throne with confidence, that we may find mercy, and
the assistance of his grace in our necessities ; for the High
Priest that we have, is not one who cannot have compas-
sion on our infirmities, but one who was tempted in all
things Uke om'selves — yet -without sin.* In fine, Jesus Christ
in Heaven is our head ; that is, he is the head of the body
of which we are the members. This body is the Church, and
Jesus Christ is to his Church, what the head is to the body ;
he gives it life, he animates it mth his spu'it : every grace,
good thought, holy desu-e — evei-y good work flows from
the plenitude, which is in Christ, our head.
A gentleman, who was very fervent in the pi^actice of his
Chiistian duties, made a most edifjTug journey through the
Holy Land. He fii'st made his confession, and received,
with great devotion, the sacrament of our Lord's Body.
He then went to Nazareth, where our Lord became incar-
nate ; to Bethlehem, where he was born ; to the Jordan,
in which he was baptized by St. John ; to the desert, where
he fasted for forty days ; to Mount Tabor, where he was
transfigm-ed ; to the supper-room, in Jerusalem, in which
he instituted the Blessed Eucharist; to the Garden of
Olives, the prastorium of Pilate, and the lull of Calvary,
which were the theatres of his ignominies and sufferings ;
to the sepulchre, in which his body was laid, and from
which he arose on the thii'd day ; and last of all, to Mount
Olivet, where, after having blessed his Apostles, he ascend-
ed triumphantly mto Heaven. At these different stations,
full of the most lively faith, this fervent Chiistian honored
the mysteries of our Lord's life upon earth, and liis heart
was inflamed with the most ardent love. Having now no
■■o
H«b., iv. 15, 16.
• UP DEATH. 8]
farther to go. whilst he yet remained on Mount Olivet, he
pronounced the following prayer, " 0 Jesus, Jesus, my
most amiable Redeemer, where shall I now seek thee upon
earth, since thou hast left it '! Permit me to follow thee.
Draw me up to Heaven, where thou now abidest !" No
rooner had he concluded this prayer, than it was heard.
He expired — dying of love for that Savior to whom he had
been so tenderly devoted. — Lasausse.
ExEKCiSES.— 1. When and how did Jesus Chri.st ascend into Heaven?
— 2. What do you mean by saying that Jesus Christ sits at the right
land of God? — 3- What are tho functions of tho Son of G.d in the
Kingdom of his g'.ory? — 4- What rights has hoover us as our King and
Lord? — 5. Why do you say that Jesus Christ is our High Priest in
Heaven ? — (5. What relation does Jesus Christ in Heaven bear to his
Church ?
CHAPTER VIII.
ARTICLE 7. " FROM THENCE HE SHALL COME TO JUDGE
THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. "
SECTION I.
Of Death.
"It is appointed for men once to die."* There is nothing
more certain than death; nothing more uncertain than the
time at which it shall happen. We shall all die ; that is, we
shall quit this earth, and enter into eternity. We shall quit
ail : parents, friends, riches, honors, employments, without
exception, and for ever. At death everything will also
leave us, and nothing will accompany us but our vices or
virtues. If the mere thought of death is so insupportable
to the lovers of this world, how terrible must it be in itself!
0 terrible moment! which shall discover to them the
emptiness of the things here below, which they so much
loved, and the unportance of those virtues, which they
knew, perhaps, only to despise.
Nothing is more uncertain than the time and circum-
• Eeb , ijc, ^7.
82 DCTIES OF A CHRISTIAN. ,
stances of death. Shall we die after a short life, or shall
we arrive at old age ? in the grace of God, or in sin ? No
one can tell ; what is certain is, that we sh:!!' die, and
probably as we shall have lived ; that we shall gaiher what
we will have sowed : ^o leath is the echo of life. What is
ce; - .in, besides, is, tnat death fixes our destiny, and de-
cides our lot for eternity : if we die in the state of grace,
we shall be eternally happy ; if in the state of sin, we shidl
be for ever miserable.
Since, then, death is unavoidable, and must decide our
lot for eternity, we ought to prepare assiduously for its
coming, and profit of the tune that yet remains to us. Our
paramount interest, or rather, our only interest, is here
concerned •, for Jesus Christ has said, ' ' What doth it j^rofit
a man, if he gain the whole world, and sufier the loss of
his own soul ?"* and what consolation will it be for a man,
tormented in the fii-e of hell, to reflect that he was great,
powerful, or prosperous, in tliis world ? Ah ! it is then,
indeed, he will acknowledge that he was in error, and that
there is no one truly rich, but he who is possessed of virtue.
"I have been monarch of the greatest empire m the
universe," said the Emperor Severus at his death; '' Ihave
been all that a mortal could be, and yet notliing now
remams to me that can afford me the least comfort or
service." The great Saladin caused a herald to go before
him, carrying the winding-sheet in which he was to be
buried, and proclaiming, ''Behold all that shall remain to
the mighty Saladin, out of the empires he has conquered !"
Ti'iliing affairs are transacted without much application ;
great ones require much care and solicitude. As it is the
mark of a little mind to occupy itself much with things
that are trifling, it is the characteristic of a great one to
give all its attention to those that are important. Our
cares should always be proportioned to the value of the
thing on which they are bestowed. Now what greater aflfair
ha\ e we on hand than that of dying well ? Is life too
long to prepare for death ? or are its few short years too
many to occupy in preparation for eternity ?
• Matt., xv\, 26.
OP DEATH.
83
A man condemned to death would make small account
of the goods and honors of this life : such should be our
dispositions. Death continually pursues and will infallibly
overtake us, and that at a moment when, perhaps, we
least tliink of it. As each day may be the last of our life,
we should daily prepare for death. Let us not delude our-
selves in a matter so momentous, nor defer our repent-
ance from day to day; for "God," says St. Augustine,
" who has promised the pardon of sin to a true conversion,
has not promised to afford tmie for that conversion." — It
is foolish — nay crimmal, to postpone preparation for death
till our last sickness. What ! at a time when a person is
incapable of transacting the most ordinary business, to
think he can accomplish a work the most difficult, the
most important, and that which, of all works, requires the
greatest attention ! How can he receive the sacraments
with fj'uit, when he hardly knows what he is doing ? How
unburden his conscience, weighed down with iniquity,
when all the faculties of his soul are absorbed by the pains
and horrors of death ? Hoav prove to God that he detests
the sin which he loved so long as he could procure its en-
joyment ? It is not, in reaUty, the sinner that then aban-
dons sin, but the power of sinning that fails the sinner.
Those who have lived in sin, God ordmarily suffers to die
unpenitent ; and when it happens otherwise, it is a miracle
of his mercy. God c;in, when He pleases, work this
miracle ; but it is a foolish and damnable presumption to
lead a smfui life ui expectation of such a miracle at death.
A young French officer who was obliged to leave his
country, withdrew into Spain, and moved by the grace of
God, resolved to consecrate the remainder of his hfe to
preparation for death. Full of this design, he presented
himself as a postulant at a religious house, remarkable for
the austere and penitential lives of its inmates. His en-
treaties were earnest, and he obtained admission. Dm-ing
his novitiate he wi'ote to his sister in the following terms :
"There is scarcely a beggar in Spain who is not better fed,
clothed, and lodged, than we are, and yet not one amongst
84 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
US would exchange his condition for an empire, kiiowiii^;'
well that death soon confounds the emperor with the
meanest of his subjects, and that we carry nothing with us
out of this world but our works. Oh ! how we shall rejoice
for having sowed in tears ! The 1 ibor i.s temporary — the
repo.se which succeeds is eternal!" Five months after his
profession, he was attacked with dropsy, wluch, in four
months, terminated his earthly pilgrimage. Before his
death, he was laid on straw and ashes, that he might die
Hke a penite:at. Taking fae hand of the abbot, who stood
beside him, he pressed it alfi^ctionatcdy, and with a look of
gratitude, which alfected the whole community, said, " 0
father ! how great is my happiness ! In opening to me the
door of tliis monastery, yoa opened to me the gate of
Heaven. How I now rejoice that 1 have prepared for death!
and oh! how sweet it is to die, when one has a firm
hope of passing from eaith to Heaven ! Happy are they
who comprehend well tho.^e words ; iV/uU dotJi it profit a
man to gain the whole icnr/d. and .suffer the loss of las own
soul!'"
What subject of regret his the just man at death? Not
the goods of the eai-th — his heart has always been de-
tached from them ; nor i'.unily .ind friends — for he knows
th.it his separation from them shall be only temporary.
■'We shall meet again," said a yotmg lady at the pomt of
death to her disconsolate parents ; ''we shall meet again,"
She died pronouncing these words ; and a beautiful monu-
ment was erected over her s'emaLns, on which she was
represented writing en a liillav — ITe shall meet again !
A child, only seven years old, being at the point of death,
said to his mother, whom he saw weeping by his bed -side,
•Have you not taught me, mother, that to see God. Imust
.•st<lie?"
Exercises. — 1. What temiinates man's existence here below V —
2. What practical consequences m;i.v be drawn from the certainty of
death, and the uncertainty of the time and manner thereof ?— 3- Show us
that it is the height of rashness and folly to defer the preparation for
do&th ?
* Mark, xvi. '^«
OF JUDGsreyT. 85
SECTION 11.
Of Judgment.
'' It is appointed for men once to die, and after this the
judgment."* The soul being immortal, it necessarily fol-
lows that there must be a judgment, which will decide our
lot for eternity ; for the fate of the just and that of the imp-
ious cannot be alike. Faith teaches that this judgment will
take place, and that it wiil be of two kinds — the particular
and the general. The particular judgment is that wliich
every one must undergo immediately after death, for the
evil he has done, or the good he has omitted ; and by this
judgment his lot for eternity will be decided. Souls
stamed with venial guilt must expiate it in purgatory, be-
fore they can be admitted in Heaven; those who are
entu-ely exempt from sin, will instantlj'' take jjossession of
the gloiy of the blessed ; but those who die in the vinex-
piated guilt of mortal sin, will be cast into hell, to await
the general resurrection at the end of the world. The
general judgment will then take place, and in it will be
manifested and confirmed, the sentence pronounced m the
particular. The most awful signs will go before it, as our
Lord himself has declared in his Gospel. There shall be
wars, and rumors of wars, and fomines, and pestilences,
and earthquakes ; the sun and moon shall be darkened;
the stars shall Ml from heaven;! the sea shall make a
frightful noise by reason of the agitation of its waters ; and
men shall wither away with fear, in expectation of the evils
which are to come upon the universe. J In a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet,
the dead shall arise. § The sign of the Son of Man, that is,
bis cross, will appear in the heavens, and Jesus Christ will
descend visibly in great power and majesty, to render to
every one according to his works. II He will be accompa-
nied by his angels, who shall at once separate the good
from the bad. "The angels," says the Evangehst, "shall
• Heb., ix. 27. t Matt.., xxiv, 6, 7, 2X t Luke, xxi, 25, 26.
s I Cor . XV. 52. h Matt., xsiv, 30.
86 DTTTIES OF A OHRTSTIAN.
go out, and separate the wicked from among tlie just. '*
How terrific this separation ! how diffei'ent the lot of each I
The just will be placed on the light hand of the Sovereign
Judge, the wicked on his left.f Then the conscience of
each one shall be manifested in the presence of the entu-e
universe and those crimes that are now most hidden and
secret, will then bo revealed in all their enormity.
The justman who had been despised on earth, will ap-
pear ornamented with all the good works which ho had so
carefully concealed, and the sinner will be covered with
confusion and shame, at the sight of the iniquities which
he had hidden from men. Then will vice appear as it really
is, with all the deformity and infamy which naturally belong
to it. What joy will then be felt by the virtuovis young
man, who despised the language of sinners, and fled from
the contagion of their mcked example ! How will he then
be indemnified for the combats he sustained, and the
raillery which he endured for his faith ! What despair, on
the other hand, will seize the heart of the young 1 ibertine,
when he shall see exposed, in the view of Heaven and
earth, liis most liidden crimes, and shall behold the objects
of his ridicule numbered amongst the saints ! How will he
then abhor those vices which, during life, had charmed and
seduced him !
But tliis is only the preparation — the prelude to the
judgment. ^Vhat impression must be produced by the
sentence of the Sovereign Judge ! All being in profound
silence, the Son of God will address those on his right hand
in these consoling words : '"'Come, ye blessed of my Father,
possess the Kingdom prepared for you froia the foun-
dation of the world." Then turning to the repi'obate, he will
say, "Depart from me, j^ou cursed, into everlasting lu'e,
prepared for the devil and his angels."t The moment this
■iecree is pronounced, the just shall ascend to the enjoy-
ment of everlasting happiness with God and his angels ;
the wicked shall be preci]pitated into hell to burn forever,
without the least hope of ever possessing the hapj)iness
• Matt., xil, 49. t Matt, xxv, 32, 33
t Matt., xx.«-{ HI, 41.
OP JCDQMENT. 87
they have forfeited. Let us, then, prevent this terrible
judgment, and profit of the advice our Lord gives us in his
Gospel : " Take heed to yourselves, lest jaerhaps your
hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and
the cares of this life : and that day come upon you suddenly.
For as a snare shall it come on all those that sit upon the
fiice of the vrhole earth. Watch ye, therefore, praying at
all times, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all
these tilings that are to come, and to stand before the Son
of Man." *
A young man, who in liis childhood had been trained up
in piety under the care of a good and virtuous mother,
yielded so far to the temptations of the devil, as to abandon
himse^ to the most shameful irregularities. One good
effect of his religious education, however, yet remained :
though he was depraved in morals, he had not lost liis
respect for religion. One night, after a day on which ho
had been guilty of many grievous sins, he had a dream :
he imagined that he was carried before the tribunal of God,
and th;it he was una^ble to make any reply to the interroga-
tories put to him, or to offer any defence of the crimes
laid to his charge. His confusion and terror were beyond
description. Awaking from sleep, he was covered with a
cold perspiration and his mind was filled with horror at the
spectacle he had just witnessed. Li a few moments, some
of his family entered the room; but he said to them,
'•Leave me to myself ; I have seen my Judge, 0 my God 1
grant me pardon." Some of the companions of his irreg-
ularities, hearing of his illness, came to visit and console
him. '' Begone," said he to them ; "I liiiow you no longe-"
— I wUl never see you agaui — I have seen my Judge — All
my crimes are written against me. Never, until now, did
I know their number or enormity. The devil awaited but
the signal to carry me away. My God ! how I tremble !
False friends, begone from me forever. How happy shall
I be if I can appease my Judge by a Hfe of rigid penance !
From this moment I begin to serve Him. I shall soon, in
* Luke, xxi, 34, 35, 36.
88 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
reality, appear before his tribunal. It may be this very
day. Pardon me, 0 my God ! May I never cease to uivoke
thy mercy. Pardon me, 0 my God! have mercy on me ;
cast me not ofiF forever."
Exercises- — 1. What necessarilj- follows from the truth that the soul
is immortal ? —2. What does faith teach us coiv;ernins this judgment ?—
3- ^Vhat do you understand by the particular judgment? — 4- What
signs shall precede the general judgment V —5. How shall the general
judgment take place'.'— 6, What difl'eience will be remarked between
the just man and the sinner at the moment of the general judgment?
— 7. By what terms does our divine Lord in his Gospel, advise us to
prepare for the general judgment ?
CHAPTER IX.
ARTICLE 8. — " I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY GHOST. "
It is not sufficient to believe in the Father Almighty, who
created us, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, who redeem-
ed us ; we must also believe in the Holy Ghost, who sanc-
tified us, as is evident from the words of St. Paul to some
amongst the Ephesians.*
We must, then, with a firm faith, believe that in God
there is a thh'd person, the Holy Ghost. This third per-
son proceeds from the Father and the Son, and has the
same nature, the same divinity, as the other two persons.
The Holy Ghost is, therefore, equal to the Father and to
the Son : He is eternal, almighty, infinite ; He has the same
perfections ; in a word. He is the same God, as the Father
and the Son. It is in liis name, as well as in that of the
Father and the Son, that we are baptized ; and, as He is
one and the same God with Them, we owe Hun the same
adoration and homage. Hence, the Holy Ghost is adored
and gloi'ified conjointly with the Father and the Son, and
we conclude all our prayers with these words : " Glory bo
to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost."
This Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles, on the feast
of Penteco.'t, in the form of tongues of fire. He filled
them with com'age and fortitude to preach the Gospel, and
* Acts, xiz, 2.
OF JUDG>rENT. 89
to give evidence of its truth, by the effusion of their blood
Ee also communicated to them the gift of tongues, and
the graces necessary for the establishment of the Church
md the conversion of the world.*
The Holy Ghost is a Spirit of Looe, who communicate?
to our souls that charity by which we are sanctiHed. To
ffim, then, is attributed, in a particular manner, the work
of our sanctification. It is Ha ^vho imparts to us sanctifying
grace, which is the life of the soul ; for our souls c:in have
life only inasmuch as they are united to Ilim, and that his
grace abides in, and animates, them. We are, of ourselves,
totally incapable of any motion towards God, without his
assistance ; nor can we do anything whatever, in the order
of salvation, but by his impulse and inspu-ation.
The Holy Ghost is called the Sjnrit of Truth, that is, the
Source of all truth, and the Master who teaches it. It was
He that, in an instant, filled the understanding of the
Apostles with light, and imparted to them that knowledge
of heavenly things necessary for the instruction of man-
kind. It was He that spoke by the Prophets and Evan-
gelists. It is He that stiU instructs us, dissipating, by his
Ught, the darkness of our ignorance, pomting out to us the
path which leads securely to Heaven, and giving us strength
and courage to walk therein. "Thy good spirit," said the
Prophet, " shall lead me into the right land."! It is this
Holy Spirit, in tine, that speaks interiorly to us, warning
us against evil, and inclining us to good ; and it is He
whom we resist, when we I'eject the insphations which
incUne us to avoid the one, and to embrace the other.
Simon the Magician had long seduced the people of
Samaria by his practice of the magic art, and was called by
his followers, The Poiver of God. When the Apostles St.
Peter and St. John repaired to Samaria to confirm, by the
imposition of hands, the newly baptized, who had been
converted by the preaching and miracles of St. Philip the
Deacon, Simon also believed in Christ, and received Bap-
tism. Seeing the wonders which were operated by the
* Acts, ii, 4. t Ps-, cxlii, 10.
90 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
Apostles on those who had received the Holy Ghost, be
presumptuously sought to obtain the power of imposing
hands on the people, with the design of turning to his own
glory and advantage the miracles he hoped to perform.
He, therefore, offered money to St. Peter, saying, "Give
me also this power, that on whomsoever I shall lay my
hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost." St. Peter replied,
"Keep thy money to thyself to perish with thee, because
thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased
(vith money. Do penance. ""* Far from taking the advice
of the Apostle, he gave himself anew to the practice of
magic, abandoned himself to all Mnds of UTegularities, and
oecame the secret enemy of the Apostles. Having infected
Samaria with the most extravagant errors, he went to
Rome, where he wished to pass for a god. He promised
the emperor Nero, who pi*otected him, that he would raise
liimself in the air, in presence of the people, as a proof of
his being a divinity . On the day appointed, a multitude of
people assembled, and Sunon raised himself, or rather was
raised on high by the power of the devil ; but St. Peter
had recourse to praj^er, and was immediately heard, for the
power of the devil was withdi'awn, and the unfortunate
man fell to the ground, and was so bruised by the fall, that
he died immediately. From this Simon is derived the word
simony, a detestable sin, which is committed by those who
purchase or sell the gifts of the Holy Ghost. — Lasaussk.
ExEECiSKS- — 1. Is itsuflScientfor us to believe in the Father .and the
?on? — 2. Who is the Holy Ghost ?- 3. What effects did the descent
of the Holy Ghost produce on the Apostles 7 —4- Why do we attribute
to the Holy Ghost the sanctification of our soul ? — 5. Why is the Holy
Ghost styled the Spirit of Truth 1
CHAPTER X.
ARTICLE 9. — I BELIEVE " THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH;
THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS."
SECTION I.
Of the E-'itabliskment of the Church.
The Church has existed from the beginning of the
• Acts, viii, 19, 20, 22.
KSTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH. 91
world ; that is, there have at all times been men who have
made profession of their belief in God, who have adored
and served Him, and have hoped for salvation through the
merits of the Messiah. The adorers of the true God did
not, however, always form a society, united by exterior, or
visible bonds. The Jews were the only nation, before the
coming of our Eedeemer, who, in quality of God's chosen
people, had a law and religious exercises in common. But
Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save all men, has
given them new means of salvation ; he wishes that all be
united, so as to form one body, and he has imparted to
them a new law, the law of grace.
The Apostles, having received the Holy Ghost, came
forth from the house in which they had shut themselves
up, and announced in the midst of Jerusalem, the resur-
rection of Jesus Christ. Thi-ee thousand Jews were
converted at the first sermon of St. Peter, and five thou-
sand at the second. The mmiber of the faithful increased
daily, and these men, regenerated by Baptism, and re-
newed by the Holy Sphit, presented to the world a
spectacle of the purest and most perfect vu-tue. The
Apostles soon after preached the Gospel throughout Judea,
Galilee, and Samaria; thence they passed into Syi-ia, and
the provinces of Asia Minor, Macedonia, Greece, and almost
through the entire world, announcing everywhere the
Gospel, that is, the good news of the redemption of man,
by the sufferings of Jesus Christ.
The Jews, however, remained obstinate in their opposi
tion to the Gospel, and cruelly persecuted those who
embraced it. Infidels, on the other hand, used every effort
to prevent its establishment. The great and powerful
amongst them, declared themselves, from the beginning,
its most implacable enemies ; yet, notwithstanding the
lury of the Jews, the opposition of the powerful, and the
general corruption of the people, — long attached to a
religion altogether sensual, — the Apostles established,
throughout the world, the Church of Jesus Chiist. Those
whom they made choice of as their successors in the
ministry, imitated their zeal, and transmitted, in like
92 DTTTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
manner, to their successors, the sacred deposit of the faith,
which has thus been handed down from age to age, to the
present time, in all its original purity.
To form an idea of what an admii-able work the establish-
ment of Chi'istianity was, we should consider that it was
effected by twelve men of low condition, without educa-
tion, property, or influence, and to whom their Master had
promised no other portion, in this world, than persecu-
tions, sufferings, and martyi'dom : — such were the Apostles.
Can any one suppose that twelve men of this character, if
not animated by the Spirit of God, would not have sln-unk
from undertaking to change the face of the universe, to
convert all nations — Greeks and Eomans, Jews and Pagans
— and that, too, by proposing to them the most incom-
prehensible mysteries, and the strictest morality ? Yet
these twelve men, thus destitute of all human succor, —
with no other arms than the cross, no other means than
the word, no other defence than patience under every
trial, not only formed this extraordinary design, but ac-
tually carried it into execution. They preaclied a doctrme
which captivated the mind, and won the heart : they
preached it in the midst of the Roman Empire, in the
principal cities, — cities the richest, the most learned, and
the most volujituous, — in Antioch, Alexandria, Ephesus,
Corinth, Athens, and even iii Eome itself. Every effort was
made to oppose this new doctrine ; everytliing done to
stifle Chi'istianity in its very bii'th, and to ari'est its prog-
ress,— confiscation, exile, imprisonment, torture ; and yet
Chi-istianity was established m all parts of the world by the
force of mere persuasion, notwithstanding all the opposi-
tion of the powers of this world, and all the means for its
destruction, which human wisdom, supported by passion,
interest, policy, and the most extravagant violence, couJd
invent.
To abandon a religion, ordaining practices painful to
nature, and 2^roscribing every vice, in order to embrace one
favorable to the senses, and which would give a free
scope to the passions, is a thing easily comprehended ; but
to abjure a reUgion favorable to the passions, in order to
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OHrTROU. 93
embrace the cross and penance, and to expose oneself to
the loss of property and life, — is what conviction alone
could effect ; and this is what it did really effect at the
establisliment of the Clnistian religion. Surely we cannot
help exclaiming. The finger of God is lierc I for either the
Apostles performed miracles to prove to the people the
truth of what they announced, or they convinced them
without mhacles. If they perfoi'med miracles, then it was
God himself who presided over tliis work ; and if they per-
suaded the world without mh'ac].es, the proof would stUlbe
the stronger ; it was a divine joower alone which could
establish this persuasion in the minds of men. despite of all
the obstacles opposed to it. '"The conversion of the world
effected without miracles, would be, itself, the greatest of
miracles.*'
Victorinus, a celebrated orator, was a professor of rbeto-
ric in Eome. He had passed his life in the study of the
liberal arts ; had read and examined almost all the wi'itings
of the ancient philosophers ; and was master of all the
learning most prized amongst the Roman senators. He
had exercised his profession with so miTch success and
reputation, that his statue was erected in one of the public
places in Rome ; and this was one of the highest honors
to wliich a man could then aspire. He was, however, still
a pagan, and a worshipper of idols, and not only did he
adore them himself, but he even employed his eloquence
to engage others in tliis impious worsliip. How great the
grace which could touch and convert a heart like his !
Victormus began to read the Holy Scriptures, and soon
after to study them attentively ; he read other books also,
which treated of the Chiistian religion. He one day waited
on St. SimpUcian, with whom he had been intimate, and
said to him, " I have news with wliich I am sure you will
be pleased; I am a Chiistian." "I cannot believe it,"
said St. Simplician, " and shall not, until I see you in the
Church, joining in the prayers of the faithful." " What !"
replied Victorinus, " is it by being shut up within walls,
that a man is known to be a Chi-istian?" Every time that
94 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
he protested he was a Clii'istian, Simplician made the same
observation, which was followed by a similar answer.
The fear which Victorinus entertained of incurring the
displeasure of his friends, and which he knew would prove
his destruction if once excited, retained him still in ^*he
bosom of infidelity ; but his courage and generosity soon
triumphed over this diflSculty. He became convinced that
it would be a heinous criine to be ashamed of the mysteries
of Jesus Chiist, and yet feel no shame at the horrible
superstitions of paganism. Feeling one day a more than
ordmary determmation to embrace the Gospel, he waited
on Simplician, and said to him, " Let us go to the Church ;
[ am resolved not only to be a Christian, but openty to
appear such." Simplician, filled with joy, instantly ac-
companied him, and placed his name on the list of those
who desired Baptism. The whole city was filled with
astonishment and admiration at tliis wonderful conversion,
the high reputation of Victorinus addmg considerably to
the universal joy which was diiiused among the faithful.
The happy day, destuied for the public profession of
faith, previous to Baptism, at length arrived. The custom
of the Roman Church was, that the formula should be
committed to memory, and pronounced with a loud voice,
m the presence of all the faithful. The Priests, through
deference to Victorinus, ofiered to permit him to pro-
nounce it in private, a favor which was ordinariiy granted
only to the timid ; but Victorinus wished to profess aloud,
and in the presence of all the people, the heavenly doc-
trine which leads to salvation. When he appeared in the
Church, a sudden transport of joy filled all who were
present ; and, although each endeavored to moderate it
thi'ough respect for the place and ceremony, yet a low
wliispering was heard on every side : '' It is Victorinus ! it is
Victormus 1" Anxiety to hear liim produced a profound si-
lence ; when he, full of a holy courage, pronounced in a loud
and distinct voice, the truths which are the objects of our
faith. Every one in the assembly was deshous of pressmg him
to his heart, and expressing the joy which he experienced
in beholding him a Christian. This remarkable conversion
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH. 95
was productive of the most happy consequences; and
when St. Augustine, then a Manichee, heard it mentioned
by St. Simplician, he acl-aiowledged that he felt strongly
disposed to follow the example. This he did soon after,
when he was receiyed into the Church by St. Ambrose.
Bishop of Milan.
We should learn from the conversion of this great man
fii^st, — not to hesitate to correspond with the divine grace,
the moment we receive its inspiration, lest through our
intidelity we may cause it to be withdrawn ; secondly, — to
repair, by some heroic act of virtue, the infidelities and
resistance with wliich we may have liitherto opposed it :
and thu-dly, — to be the more fiiithful in future, in proper
tion as our correspondence with it was the longer delayed.
— Vide CosF. S. Aug. 1, viii.
Exercises.— 1- lias the Church always existed ? — 2. What were the
happy results of the Apostles' lirst preaching ? — 3. What obstacles did
they encounter in pre.iching the Gospel V— 4. How may we form an idea
of the admira'ijle work of the establishment of Christianity ?— 5. Shove
that the establishment of Christianity was not a human invention.—
6. Were the obstacles opposed to its establishment very great j
SECTION II.
Of the Church. — Constancy of the Martyrs.
The persecution against the Church of Jesus Chiist ended
not with the lives of the Apostles ; for three hundred years
all the powers of earth continued to make war upon it. No
fewer than ten general persecutions were raised by the
Roman Emperors dm-ing tliis period, in which thousands of
Chi-istians of every age, sex, and condition, suffered tor-
ments and death, in testimony of then- faith in Jesus
Christ. Every species of tortm-e that the malice of man
c^uld invent or the fury of hell suggest was tried in order
to force them to renounce their religion. Some were
stretched upon racks, with their hands and feet fastened
with cords ; others were hung up by the arms, with weights
attached to then- feet ; and, in this condition, they were
•vith u'on-pointed whips, until their
96 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
sides and entrails were laid oare. When taey did not ex
pire under these torments, salt and vinegar were applied
to their wounds, in order to render them the more pamful ;
at other times these wounds were again opened, when they
began to heal. The prisons became, for theClmstiaiis,anew
mode of punishment ; and for them the most infected were
reserved. Into these prisons they were cast naked — theii
foet bound and their wotmds yet bleeding, — with no othei
bed than the dungeon-floor, thickly strewed with pieces of
broken glass. Sometunes they were left to die of hunger ;
and when food was given them, it was only with the inten-
tion of reserving them for greater punishment. They were
ordinarily not permitted to converse with any one, because
it was known, that in this state, they converted many
infidels to the faith, and, in some instances, the very gaoler
and guards, to whose keeping they were consigned. The
punishment which usually pl^t an end to these tortures,
was to be beheaded, or burnt, ahve, or precipitated into the
sea, or devoured by wild beasts. The martjTS, notwith-
standing, remained firm and unshaken, their very torments
serving but to increase their courage and resolution. Nor
was it by men alone that this astonishing constancy was
exhibited; deUcate women, and even young children, were
equally firm and courageous : so powerful was the grace oJ
Jesus Christ, which strengthened and sustamed them.
Ecclesiastical History furnishes us with examples of
heroism, wliich were not only above human strength, but
even beyond our admiration. We cannot, without astonish-
ment, read of the sufferings of the martyrs of Lyons and
Vienne, imder the Emperor Marcus Aurelius ; or what is
reported by Eusebius of the martyrs of Palestine, and by
Sozomen of those of Persia ; or what is found in the o.-'ginal
acts of the martyrs of Africa. All these generous com
batants — the bare mention of whose torments causes one
to shudder — suffered with invincible patience ; many suf-
fered even with joy. and of their own accord, presented
themselves to their persecutors, fearing that they might
possitily be spared, and thus be deprived of the martyr's
crown. St. Lawi'ence, extended on his gridiron, told his
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OHUROH. 97
executioners to turn liis body on the other side, as the fire
could do no further injury to that which was ah-eady
burned. What language while suffering the most excru-
ciating torments ! Whence came that invincible courage,,
which enabled those Christian heroes to brave torments
and death ? Who endued them with strength so superior
to whatever the cruelty of tyrants could invent ? A divine
power it was, without doubt, which thus fortified their
natural weakness ; and, therefore, the religion is divine
which the martyrs cemented with their blood. Never could
it have survived attacks so violent and so multiplied, had
it not been sustained by an almighty hand. Every effort
made for its destruction served but to fortify and confirm
it ; and the more cruel the persecution, the more widely did
the faith extend. The blood of the martys, as a fruitful
seed, brought forth new children to the Church ; and the
world, which had furiously persecuted the disciples of Jesus
Christ, was forced to cry out, " How great is the God of
the Christians !"' and, finally, to embrace the rehgion for
which the martyrs bled.
The Emperor Valens, who was an Arian, forbade, under
pain of death, the Christians of Edessa, where he then was,
to exercise publicly any act of religion. The Catholics, far
from yielding obedience to this unjust and impious
mandate, continued to assemble at their usual place of
worship. The emperor hearing of this disobedience, or-
dered the prefect of the city to go, on the following morn-
ing, to the place where they asseml^led, arid put to death
all he could find. The prefect, who was favorably dis-
posed towards the Chi-istians, privately acquainted them
with the order he had received, and which he durst not
disobey, hopmg hereby to prevent them from incurring
the thi-eatened danger. Far, however, from keeping them
at home, this intimation served but to increase their desire
of being present, rejoicing at the favorable oppoitunity
thus presented them, of giving their lives for Jesus Clirist.
At the appointed hour, the prefect set out, accompanied
V)y a number of soldiers. Passing through one of the
98 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
streets which led to the place in which the Christians
assembled, he saw a young woman with a child by the
hand, walking hastily in the same direction. ''Whither are
you going?"' said he, addressing hev. " I am going," she
replied, "to where the Catholics are assembled." "Stop
woman !" said the prefect, " do you not know that I am
going, by the emperor's order, to put to the sword all I
sliall find there?" " I know it well," she answered, "and
for that reason I hasten thither with my only child, that we
both may have the happiness to die for Jesus Chi-ist!"
The prefect, struck with admhation at such wonderful
magnanimity, returned to the emperor, and told what had
transpired. Valens, confounded, and filled with admira-
tion at the heroic constancy of this people, soon after
departed from their city, and the Catholics enjoyed,
unmolested, the free exercise of their religion. — Eccle-
siastical History.
Exercises. — 1. Did the persecutions, raised up against the Church,
terminate at the death of the Apostles? — 2. Were these persecutions
numerous and how long did they last?— 3. Enumerate some of the tor-
tures invented to force the Christians to renounce their religion —
4. What was the conduct of the Martyrs amidst these excruciating
torments ? — 5. Was this marvellous constancy exhibited by men only?
SECTION III.
Of the Marks of the Church.
The Clim'ch is the congregation, oi- society, of the faithful.
who profess the same doctrine, partake of the same sacra-
ments, and are governed by divinely-constituted pastors,
under one visible head, who is Bishop of Rome, and Vicar
and representative of the invisible head. — Jesus Christ. As
there are many societies which usurp the title of churches,
we should know well the mai'ks which distinguish the true
Church from those which are churches only in name.
There are four marks, or characters, by which the true
Church of Christ can easily and infalhbly be distinguished
from aU separate congregations. These marks, or charac-
ters, are, — unity, sanctity, catholicity, and apostolicity.
1. The Chui'ch is one, because there is but one Churcjo
MARKS OP THE CHURCH. 99
in wliich salvation can be found, and because all the mem-
bers who compose it profess the same foith, participate in
the same sacraments, are animated by the same spirit, re-
ciprocally love one another with the same charity, aspire to
the same end, and are obedient to the same pastors. Tliis
mark of unity in the true Clrurch is abundantly evident
from many passages in Holy Writ. Our Savior, speaking
of himself in the chai'acter of the Good Shepherd, says;
" Other sheep I have, that are not of this fold j them also
I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall
be one fold and one Shepherd."* Again, addressing his
heavenly Father, previous to liis Passion, he says: "And
not foi them only do I pray, but for them also who through
their word shall believe in me , that they all may be one,
as Thou, Father, in me, and I in Thee."t St. Paul emphat-
ically inculcates the imUy of the Church, in his Epistles.
St. Cyprian, the great light of the third century, treating
of the unity of the Church, writes as follows : — "There is
but one God, and one Christ, and one faith, and a people
joined in one solid body with the cement of concord. This
unity cannot suffer a division, nor this one body bear to be
disjointed. — Ho cannot have God for his Father, who has
not the Church for his Mother. If any one could escape
the deluge out of Noah's ark, he who is out of the Church
may also escape. To abandon the Church is a crime which
blood cannot wash away."' St. Augustine is equally strong.
'•'All the assemblies, or rather divisions, that call them-
selves churches of Christ, but which, infoct, have separated
themselves from the congregation of 2mit>/, do not belong
to the true Church. They might, indeed, belong to her, if
the Holy Ghost could be divided against himself; but as
this is impossible, they do not belong to her."
2. The Church is hoty because her doctrine and sacra-
ments are holy; all who have been recognized as saints
were members of her communion, and Jesus Clnist, her
invisible Head, is the Author and Source of all grace and
sanctity. That sanctity is a distinctive maik of the Church,
plainly follows from the Apostles' Creed, and also from
• John, z, IG. t John, xvii, 20, 21.
100 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
these words of St. Peter : " You are a chosen generation,
a kmgly priesthood, a lioly nation, a purchased people."*
3. The Church is catholic, or universal, as to time, place,
and doctrine. It embraces all time, for it has existed
without interruption from the beginning, and will subsist
to the consummation of ages, in virtue of the promise
given by our divine Redeemer to his Church in the persons
of the Apostles. ''Behold," says he, ''I am with you all
days, even to the consummation of the world.' "t The
Prophet Daniel, speaking of the Messiah and his spu-itual
kingdom, the Chm-ch, points out and foretells this univer-
sality as to time. ''His power is an everlasting power,
which shall not be taken away ; and his kingdom, that
shall not be destroyed." t Other societies bear on their
front, if we may so speak, the evidence of their novelty ;
the very date of their origin is accurately determined— an
evident proof that they ai'e not the true Church of Jesus
Christ. "What new heresy," says St. Vincent of Lerins,
'•'ever sprouted up, without bearing the name of its
founder, the date of its origin," &c. The Church em-
braces all places ; the faithful who compose it are spread
throughout the world, whilst th« members of the other
denominations are confined to certain countries. " From
the rising of the sun even to the going down thereof, my
name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there
is sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a clean obla-
tion : for my name is great among the Gentiles, saith the
Lord ofhosts."§ "Ask of Me," says the Father to his divine
Son, "and I will give Thee the Gentiles for thy uiheritance,
and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession." || "0
happy Church ! O happy Church! " exclaims the great St.
Augustine, "raise up thine eyes, and take a survey of the
universal world; and behold thine inheritance wliich
reacheth to the uttermost bounds of the earth. " The
Church, besides, being more extended than the other
societies styling themselves Christians, bears everywhere
the distinguishing name oi catholic ; a name by which she
• 1 Pet., ii, y. t Matt., xxviii, lU I Dan., vii, 14.
§Mal.,i, U. i|Pb. ii,8. .
MARKS OF THE CHUnCn. 101
is designated even by her enemies. " We are Catholic
Christians,"' says St. Augustine ; "we must hold to the
Chi'istian religion, and to that Church which is called
Catholic, not only by her members, but even by all }ier
enemies, for they are not understood, if they do not dis-
tinguish her by that name with which she is designated
by the whole world." In tine, she is universal as to her
doctrine, as the experience of eighteen oeniuries amply
attests. She teaches her children to observe all that God
has commanded, '' teacliing them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you." *
4. The true Church is apostolic because she has come
d.o\n\ by a perpetual succession from the Apostles, from
whom she Has her doctrine, orders, and mission. The Cath-
olic Church alone can lay claim to these glorious features
of apostolicitj/. '"She was built," says St. Paul, ''upon
the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ
himself being the chief corner-stone."! The other societies
having separated themselves from the true Chm-ch, have
lost that succession. Every one, then, can easily know if
he is a member of the true Church, by examining whether
he is united to the Pope, by means of his own Pastor and
Bishoj). The true Church is also visible and jilain to every
eye. We perceive, everywhere, a society that professes
the same faith, believes the same mysteries, receives the
same sacraments, and acknowledges the divine origin of
the authority of its ministers. The Church is also called
Roman, because the Pope, the successor of St. Peter, and
Bishop of Eome, is its visible head.
St. Ireneus, Bishop of Lj^ons, who had been a disciple of
St. Polycarp, addressing Florinus, a jaropagator of errors
contrary to the doctrine of the Church, said: '' Your doc-
trme is not that of the Bishops who were before us. I seem
to hear the blessed Polycarp recount the conversation he
had with John and tlie others who had seen the Lord, and
recite to us what they had learned of his doctrine and
mu'acles. I can assure yuu, that if this holy Bishop heai-d
* Matt., xxviii, 20. f Ephes., ii, 20.
H
102 DUTIES OP A CHRISTIAN.
the doctrine which you preach, he would instantly close his
ears, and exclaim, as was his custom, 'Good God ! that I
should be reserved till these times to hear such things !*
and so saykig, would instantly retire." — Lasausse.
Exercises. — 1. "What is the Church ? — 2. What are the marks that
distinguish the true Church from those which are chiirehes only in
name? —3. Why do we say that the Church is onel—5. What passages
In Holy Writ are evidences of the ^mitlJ of the Church ? — 0. What does
St. Cyprian say of th« unit)/ of the Church ? — 7, What language does
St. Augustine use on the same subject ?— 8. Why is the Church holy ?—
9- How is the Church catholic? — 10. What does the Prophet Daniel
foretell of her universality as to time? — 11 Malachy, as to space?
— 12. AVhy is the Church aiiostollc 1 — 13- How may one know that
is of the true Church ? — 14. Why is the Church called Roman?
SECTION IV.
Of the Authority of the Church.
Jesus Christ gave to the pastors of the Church the power
of instructing and governing the faithful in the way of
salvation. "Going, therefore," said he to his Apostles,
''teach ye all nations teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you ; and behold, I
am with you all days, even to the consummation of the
world.''*
The Apostle St. Paul calls the Church " the pillar and
ground of the truth." t The body of the pastors, joined
with their head, cannot possibly err in what concerns faith
and morals , the judgment which they pronounce respect-
ing either, are, therefore, infallible decisions, to which all
the faithful are bound to yield obedience. The Church is
the chair of truth: it speaks to men in the name of God,
by tlie authority and assistance of God ; luid when they
submit to its teaching and decisions, it is to God himself
they yield the homage of then- faith. " He that heareth
you, heareth me," said om* Lord to his Apostles ; •' and he
that despiseth you, despiseth me."t " If he will not hear
the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the
• Matt., xxviii, 19, 20- 1 1 Tim., iii, 15k X Luke, x, Ki.
AtTTHORITT OF THE CHTJROH. 103
publican."* The voice of the pastors is, then, the voice of
God himself. The Apostles, conscious of the power which
they had received from Jesus Christ, commenced their
fii-st decree in these remarkable words : "It hath seemed
good to the Holy Ghost and to us :"t — instfucting us there-
by, that the judgment which they pronounced, was the
judgment of God. That Jesus Christ should give to his
Church this infallible authority, was a mi,tter of absolute
necessity. If there were no tribunal to decile authorita-
tively the questions that might be raised, as to what ought
or ought not to be behoved, the faithful would bewilder,
themselves in their own imagination, nor would uniformi-
ty in belief, for any length of tune, subsist amongst them.
If this tribunal were not infallible, the truth of its deci-
sions might be questioned ; and the faithful, involved in
doubt and perplexity, would be liable to be carried about
by every wind of doctrine.
Jesus Chi'ist has given to the pastors of his Church power
to govern the faithful : this power of jurisdiction is that
which is exercised by the Pope and by the Bishops. The
Pope is the successor of St. Peter, and the heir of all his
power and authority. He is, under Jesus Christ, the
supreme head and pastor of the Church — the supreme
judge and lawgiver, in all things i-elating to faith, morals,
and discipluie. The primacy, both of honor and jurisdic-
tion, over all the other Bishops, belongs to him ; and all
persons are bound to pay the greatest respect, veneration,
and obedience to liis decrees and orders in all things be-
longing to religion. The Bishops are the successors of the
other Apostles. They have the power — 1, of remitting sin,
which power they can communicate to the Priests, to be
exercised by them with such lunitations as they may
prescribe ;— 2, of binding and loosing, that is, retaining and
forgivmg sin, and of remitting the penalties mcurred by
sin ;— 3, of governmg the faithful according to the doctrine
and discipline of the Church. By the discipline of the
Church, is meant, such regulations as the Church, by the
authority which Jems Christ has contided to her, ordain?
• Matt., xviii. 17. t Acts, xv.. 28.
104 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
relative to the conduct of clergy and laity ; and such
usages and ceremonies as she ordains for the due perform-
ance of religious worship. This power of jurisdiction which
resides in the principal ministers of Jesus Christ and
pastors of the Church, extends only to members of the
Cliurch, and not to those who are entirely and notoriously
separated from it, such as pigans and unbelievers.
Dui'ing the time of the schism in Antioch, St. Jerome,
m his desert, was asked with which of the contending par-
ties he held communion. Being in doubt as to which he
k . . .
should join, he wrote to Pope Damasus in these words :
•• Following no other head than Jesus Christ, I am attachec!
to the communion of your Holiness, that is, to the chair of
Petpr. Upon this rock, I know that the Church was built.
Wlioever eats the lamb out of this house is profane; who-
eN'Of is not in the ark will perish in the flood ; whoever
g ithereth not with you, .scattereth. 1, therefore, beg of
you to point out to me with whom I. shall hold commu-
nion." The Sovereign Pontiff attended to the prayer of
St. Jerome, and, in consequence of the instructions he had
received from Home, this illustrious doctor joined in com-
munion with Paulinus, who ordained him Priest. Humble
submission to the decisions of the Church is the only
means of avoiding errors in faith.
Exercises- — 1. What power did Jesus Christ confer on his Chuioh?
— 2 How may the infallibility of the Church be proved ? — 3- Why
should we believe all that the Church teaches ? —4 Why was it neces-
sary that the Church should be infallible ?— 5 Does the Church j-ossess
the right to make laws ? — 6. Ilow are they punished who violate these
laws? — 7. What is the greatest ecclesiastical penality? —8. On what
authority is the power which the Church has to remit sin founded ?
SECTION V.
Out of the True Church there is no Salvation.
There is not, perhaps, a form of words which, for the last
two centuries, has been more abused than this, — Out of the
True Church there is no salcutlon ; and yet there is no truth
more easily proved. What we shall here say on this im-
NO SALVATION OUT OP THE CHURCH. 105
Dortant subject, will show that the Catholic Church must
necessai'ily profess this doctrine, and that she is not, on
this account, chargeable with intolerance.
There is but one God ; man, as his creature, is obliged
to obey Him, that is, to do his will, and honor Him in the
manner which He nimself has prescribed. This truth, in its
ordinary acceptation, would alone be sufficient to prove
' that there is but one religion, one Church, out of which
there is no salvation.
Every religion that believes itself the true one, should
be able to say; '"My founder is from God, or rather is God
himself: his ambassadors have given unquestionable proofs
of the divinity of their mission. The truths I propose are
the only ones which have come from Him ; the virtues I
command are those alone which leads to Him." Any rehg-
ion which cannot hold this language, proves that it does
not believe itself true. And is it not natural for those
who are in the right way, to say to those who do not foUow
them: "You are going astray; the path you foUow will
lead to your destruction " ? This, in fact, is the language
which has been held by all religions. We know with what
fury the pagans persecuted the Christians ; we know the
injuries and the slanders with which heretics have assailed
the Catholic Church. Every religion, then, has pretended
that, out of its own bosom, there is no salvation. Every re-
ligion has, therefore, been intolerant in this sense, that it
could not approve of what was contrary to its own belief-
Shall we, then, say that all religions are good ? This would
be to advance the grossest absurdity, and to maintain the
affirmative and the negative on the same subject. But
shall we say they are aU false, in order to free ourselves
from being subject to any ? He who would speak thus,
would be most unreasonable, since he would deny the ex
istence of natm-alrehgion, that is, of the bonds which unite-
an intelligent creature with the Bemg who created him ;
the most foolhardi/, denying incontestable facts, believed
by the whole universe, and which are convincing evidence
that God has spoken to man ; the most intolerant, since he
would proscribe all beUef, and condemn all reUgious prac
106
DTJTTES OF A CHRISTUN.
tices by which men have always rendered homage to thc
Divinity.
But if it is evident to a reasonable being that there must
be a religion, it is equally evident that there can be but
one alone that bears the character of truth ; one alone with
which God can be pleased ; one alone which leads to hap-
piness. Surely, he who does not ackowledge the Supreme
Being who created him, or who outrages that Being by a
ijriminal life, cannot have the same lot as he who loves and
adores Hiiu, and i:)romotes his glory by the sanctity of liis
life: error and truth, vice and virtue, cannot have the
same end, nor lead to the same hai^piness. There must be,
then, but one religion, and one Church.
Which, then, of all these religions should we acknowledge
the true one? which should we embrace to secm-e our
salvation ? — Doubtless, that which gives the 'most decided
proofs of the sanctity of its doctrine, and the divinity of its
institution ; that which has been announced by the
Prophets and confirmed by miracles ; that, in fine, wliich
Jesus Christ has established, and which has been regularly
transmitted to us, through every succeeding age, by the
successors of the Apostles. But it is the Catholic, Apostolic,
and Roman Church, wliich alone possesses these prerog-
atives.
It is, then, true to say, that there is no sa!\yation out oi
the Catholic Church, for she alone possesses all the char-
acteristics of a divinely-revealed religion; no salvation
for him who, knowing the truth, lives not ux accordance
with its dictates, and dies impenitent ; no salvation for him
who could discover the truth, and makes no eiibrt to dis-
cover it ; no salvation for any one out of the pale of the
Church, who has just reason to doubt the truth of his reli-
gion, and yet neglects the means necessary for ascertain-
ing where that t«i uth can be found.
It is not the Church which damns those who do not pro-
fess her doctrine or practise her morality; no, they are
the cause of their own destruction, by their mlful obstina-
cy in rejecting the truth . Tne Church damns no one ; it
announces that truth is one, and that those who wilfully
NO SAJ.VAnON OUT OF THE CHUKCH. 101
depart from it, are out of the way of salvation. The
Church weeps over the blindness of such persons, and
prays earnestly for theii*. conversion ; but she leaves to the
Searcher of hearts to judge of the uprightness of their in-
tention, and to see whether their ignorance is really
culpable, and whether they are accountable for their
breach of that precious unity, which forms the essential
characteristic of truth.
But it may be asked, what is to become of so many
children who die without Baptism ? of so inany pagans,
Maliometans, Jews, and other unbelievers ? Ac: to the con-
dition of the childi'on who die without Baptism, the Holy
Scripture does not speak of it, nor does the Church define
anything concerning it. The Church, indeed, teaches that
they cannot enter Heaven, but she does not teach that
they wiU be subject to the same punisliment as those who
have offended by then- own actual transgressions. We
know, for certain, that they shall not enjoy the beatific
vision of God, but we are not obliged to believe that they
shall feel the full bitterness of that privation. As to those
j^ersons ivho have an opportunity of knowing the true re-
ligion, and yet will not embrace it, they shall with justice
be condemned ; but if any one is so circumstanced that it
is absolutely impossible for liim to know the truth, and
that he obseives faithfully the law of nature engraven on
the hearts of all men, we may beUeve that God would
rather perform a miracle than leave such a one in error.
Thus does the Church repel the imputation of intolerance.
But whence comes this ardent interest, which the incred-
ulous seem to bear towards infidels, and those who are
not enlightened by the faith? Whence is it that, aflfecting
to believe, and lamenting and complaining of their con-
demnation, they abuse the means of salvation which
&od has given them ? Either their complaints are unjust,
and dictated solely by theh hatred of the Church, or
their conduct is foolish. Wliy, we may say to them with
St. Paul, why lose time in examining what God will do
with people who do not participate in our belief ? Occupy
yourselves rather vidth uprooting the evil which is within
108
DDT1E8 OF A CHRISTIAN
you, and which may m the end lead io yom- everlasting
rmn. Be ijersuaded, that God will be sufficiently good not
to damn those who will have sincerely sought the truth in
order to embrace it; as He will be sufficiently just to
punish those who will have abused the lights and graces
with which He has favored them. "Hail, true Chm-ch !"
cries out one who had for many years been in doubt as to
the choice of a religion, '-0 thou ! who art alone the way
that leads to life ; may my soul repose under the shadow
of thy branches. Far fi-om me be the temerity which
would attempt to penetrate the depth of thy mysteries,
and the impiety which would insult their obscurity. What
the unbehever reasons on, I admhe ; what he disputes, I
beheve; I see the height, but I cannot penetrate tho
depth of the mysteries which have been revealed to us."
Before her marriage with Charles of Austria, afterwards
emperor, under the title of Charles VI., the princess Eliza-
beth Chinstuia Wolfenbuttel, felt it a dutj^, for the tran-
quillity of her conscience, to consult, concerning matters
of religion, the Lutherans, whose form of behef she had
till then professed. The Protestant doctors bemg assembled
at Helmstadt, told her that a person could be saved m the
Catholic communion, the Catholics not being m error as
to the essentials of religion. The princess said, on learn-
ing their decision, '• Tliis behig so, there is no longer time
for hesitation : to-morrow I will embrace the Catholic reli-
gion ; the securest course m a matter so important is
alwaj^s the wisest." The father of tlie princess adopted the
same sentiments, and, like her, became a Catholic— De
Trevern.
Henry IV. of France, pressed by liis friends to embract
the Cathohc religion, inquired of the Bishops, if a person
could be saved in the Catholic Church. They, of course,
replied, that assuredly one could be saved in it ; and fui*-
ther, that out of its bosom there was no ordinary possibili-
ty of salvation. The king next addressed himself to the
Protestant ministers, and demanded whether salvation
oould be found in their reform, as in the Catholic Church.
THE COMJIXTXION OF SAINTS. TOO
•
They iei:)lied, that snlvation could be found in either.
"Well, then," rejoined the monarch, " the Bishops say
that out of tlie Catholic Church there is lao salvation, and
you acknowledge that salvation is attainable thei'ein : I,
therefore, declare myself a Catholic.
))
Exercises —1. Mention the trutli which, in its ordinary acceptation,
would alono be suflicicnt to jirovo that there is but one Church out ('f
wliich there is no salvation . ~ 2. AVhat should every reli.?iOD, that
believes itself the true one, bs able to say ? — 3. What has every reIi.!j;on
pretended ?— 4. "Why can wo not say that all religions are (io<id or fahef
— 5. Show us that there can be but o?ie religi''n .— G. Which, of all these
religions, should we .acknowledge as the true one ?— 7. What ioiportant
consequences spring from the above arguments V — 8. Is it the Church
that damns those who do not profess her doctrine or practise her
morality '.' —0. Whence comes the ardent interest which the incredulous
seem to bear towards iniidels ? — 10. What advice does St- Paul give
tkese persons ?
SEC ilON Vi.
Of the Cummii.iu'nii of Saints.
All the faithful who compose the Catholic Church are
united together, and form one body, of which Jesus Christ
is the head. The strict union of all the members of this
body, estaljlishes between them a community of spiritual
goods ; and this is what is understood liy the Communion
of Saints.
The foithful are named miiUa, because they have been
sanctified by Baptism, and ai'e called to the profession and
practice of holiness. The spiritual goods which arc com-
mon among them, are the infinite graces which our Lord
has merited for us l)y his sufferings, the merits of the
Blessed Virgin and of the Saints, the sacraments, the
prayers and other good works which are perfoi-mod in the
Church. All these spiritual goods form a treasuj'c which
belongs to the whole Church, and in which every nue ol' the
faithful is entitled to particijiate in propoi'tion to his dispo-
sitions. Those who are in the state of grace participate
fully in all the gifts and graces which form this treasure.
This community of spiritual goods is a consequence of the
unity ofthe Church. All the members of a family labor for
110 DITTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
its profit, and share in its advantages. It is the same with
the Church, whose members compose but one and the samj
family, one and the same body. St. Paul compares the
Clmrch to the human body, and no comparison can more
properly make us understand what is meant by the Com-
munion of Saints. The body has many members, and each
member, its particular function ; but all these members
together form only one body. They have all one and the
same heafl, the same soul, the same life. The functions of
the several members, their advantages, are for the good of
the entire body ; all concm* to the same end, tlie preser-
vation of that body ; — the eyes see, the ears hear, the
hands perform, the feet walk, for the entire body ; in a
word, all the members conspu'e for the good of one another,
and give to each, in its necessities, all the assistance
of which they are capable. Just so m the Church, all the
faithful are anmiated by the same spu'it, under the same
head, and are united together in theu' different actions.
Each prays, labors, merits, for the entire body, and re-
ceives, at the same time, a share in the labors, virtues, and
prayers, of the entire Church. St. Ambrose, explaining
these words of the Psalmist, " I am a partaker with all
them that fear Thee," observes, " As we say that a member
is partaker of the enth-e body, so are we partakers with all
that fear God."* But to profit of these advantages, we
amst be members of the Church : those who are separated
from her by heresj', schism, or apostacy ; or those whom
she has cast off from her bosom by excommunication, have
no share in the spiritual advantages which the faithful
possess, in virtue of the Communion of Saints.
To enjoy fully all these spiritual goods, we must be living
members of the Church ; that is, we must be in the state
of grace. Sinners, in whom the Holy Ghost dwells not, are
Lideed members of the Church ; but they are dead mem-
bers ; and how can dead members pretend to the same
advantages as those that are living ? A dead arm, though
it may remain united to the human body, cannot receave
nourishment, and is incapable of growth, motion, or action.
• S. Ambr., yerm' 8, Ps. cxviii, 63.
THE COMMUNION OP SAINTS. Ill
Sinners, however, derive much benefit from their union
with the rest of the body ; and it is, of itself, a great ad-
vantage to be a member of this society, in which alone are
found truth, justice, charity, and salvation and the means
of attainmg it. A sinner is dead; but so long as he remains
united to the body, he may again live, the prayers of the
Chui-ch being continually offered to beg for his return to
life, by true repentance. The Catechism of the Council of
Trent, treating on how far the Communion of Saints con-
duces to the advantage of those members of the Church
who are bound in the fetters of sin, says, that though they
are as "dead members, deprived of the vivifying principle
which is communicated to tho just and pious Christian ;
yet, being in the Church, they are assisted in recovering
lost grace and life, by those who are animated by the
Spmt of God, and are in the enjoyment of those fruits
which are, no doubt, denied to such as are entbely cut off
from the communion of t-lie Church."'
The faithful who form the Church, are divided into three
branches ; the Church militant, which is composed of those
who are still combating on earth against all the enemies of
salvation; the (Jliurch triumphant, consisting of aU the
blessed in Heaven ; and the Church suffering, which is
composed of those who are yet expiating their sins, before
tlieu- entrance into Heaven. The faithful who are on earth,
are not only united among themselves, but are also united
with the saints who triumph hi Heaven, and with the souls
who are suffering in purgatory. We rejoice in the happi-
ness of the Saints ; we bless God for it ; and we pray to
them to intercede for us ; the Samts, on their side, love us
as then' brethi-en, and pray to God in our behalf. We
offer prayers to God for the souls in purgatory ; we give
alms, and perform other good works, that God, in his mer-
cy, may mitigate their suifermgs, or shorten their dm-a-
tion.
St. Fructuosus, a Bishop of the third century, never
ceased to pray for the entii'e Church. When he was on
the point of suffering martyrdom — having been condemned
112 DUTIES OF A OHRISTUN.
to be burned alive for the faith — a Christian, who was
present, took him by the hand, and said to him, " I beg ol
you to remember me before God." The holy martja* re-
plied, " I ought to bear in mind the universal Catholic
Chm'cli, extending from the east to the west." St. Poly-
carp prayed night and day for the Catholic Church, spread
tlii'oughout tlie whole world. — Lasausse.
ExKRCiSES —1 What means the Communion of Saints ?— 2. Why are
the faithful styled itn'ufs? — 3. What are the spirituals goods common
to all the faithful? — 4. Of what is this community of spiritual good the
consequence ? — 5. What must be done to enjoy fully all these spiritual
ijoods '? — 6. Do sinners derive any advantasc from their union with the
i>ody of the Church ?— V. Into how many branches is the Church divided?
- 8- How are the Saints, the souls in purgatory, and the faithful
ai.ited ?
CHAPTER XI.
ARTICLE 10 — ■• THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS."
In the Catholic Church alone can the remission of sins
be found. God grants this grace to those only who be-
come his children. By Baptism we receive the remission
of original sin : but as it too commonly happens that we
lose our baptismal innocence, Jesus Christ instituted a
sacrament which remits the sins committed after Baptism.
Thi« sacrament is called Penance. God is always disposed
to pardon us, provided we receive the sacrament with the
necessary dispositions •, nnd there is no sin, however
heinous, but may be efilxced by this means. Though we
may have committed the most grievous crimes, though
their number may exceed the very bans of our head, we
can obtain their remission by the Sacrament of Penance.
It is not on account of our own merits that this pardon is
granted us .- it is through the infinite merits of our Lord
Oesus Chi'ist.
The promise of remitting our sins, which God has given^
is a pure eifect of his mercy ; and this promise is the only
resource of sinners — the sole motive of their confidence. It
is God alone who can remit sins ; so, when the Priests pro-
nounce the sentence of absolution, it is God alone who, by
FORGIVENESS OP SINS. 113
their ministry, pardons the sins from which they absolve.
We cannot entertain the least doubt that Jesus Christ has
granted this power to his Cliurch. ' ' Receive ye the Iloly
Ghost," said he to his Apostles ; " whose sins you shall for
give, they are forgiven them ; and whose sins you shall re-
tain, they are retained."* We would feel the full value
of this fovor, if we could comprehend the misery of a per-
son who, after having ofiended God, could not again re-
cover his grace, and who would be obliged to bear the
weight of his iniquities, and see himself incessantly
dragged by time, towards the fatal term of his reprobation.
We should take great care, however, not to abuse the
mercy of God, nor take occasion from it to sin more freely.
Ah ! shall we continue to offend Him, because He is disposed
to pardon us ! shall we be wicked because He is good ! Let
us not deceive ourselves ; this abuse of the mercy of God,
is one of the crimes which irritate Him the most ; and God,
who always pardons those who approach Him with an humble
and contrite heart, in the sacrament of reconciliation, is not
bound to give the sinner time to have recourse to it. How
many persons has death surprised in the state of sin!
Can we say that we shall not be surprised like them?
A servant, having returned from catechism, was asked
by his master what he had learned. He replied, in ex-
treme grief, " I have learned that I shall be damned."
"Damned!" exclaimed his master; — "why so?" "Be-
cause," he replied, " I should have a greater sorrow for
my sins than for any other tiling whatever. Now, I know
that I felt more sorrow for the death of my father, than I
do for my sins." The master told him that, in all proba-
bility, he mis understood the catechist ; .and then ex-
plained to him the doctrine of the Church on true contri-
tion. " Do you not perceive." said he, " that sorrow for
our sins is of a nature altogether diflerent from that which
is experienced on the death of a parent ? The first is a
hatred and detestation of the evil committed ; the second,
\n effect of the natural tenderness towards their parents,
» John, XX, 22, 23.
T14 DUTIE3 OF A CHRISTIAN.
which exists in the hearts of children. Do you detest youi
sins ? Are you resolved rather to die than commit those
sins again ? If you really have these sentiments, j'ou have
the sorrow which is required : you have true contrition.'"
At these woi-ds, the poor man recovered his peace ; he
thanked liis master sincerely for having drawn him from
an error which might have lead him into despair. — L'Abbe
Salvatori.
Exercises.— 1. Which is the only Church that has the power to remit
sin ?— 2. By what means are sins remitted ?— 3. Can all sins be remitt-
ed by Baptism and Penance ? — 4. When did our divine Lord leave to
his Church the power of remitting sin ? — 5. What thought will enable
us to comprehend the value of this favor? — 6. With what sentiments
should so great a benefit inspire us ?
CHAPTER XII.
ARTICLE 11. — " THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. "
It is an article of faith that our bodies shall one day rise
again. All liien shall die, but they shall rise again with
the same bodies wliich they had in this life. These bodies
shall experience corruption, and shall be reduced to dust ;
but whatever changes they shall have undergone, they
shall one day rise and be reanimated by their souls.
Human life is but a dream, and death no more than a
short sleep ; but the resurrection will be the beginning of
an everlasting life. There is no truth more clearly
established in the Holy Scriptures, none more firmly sup-
ported by the constant belief of all ages, than this. Job,
speaking of it, says". " I know that my Redeemer liveth,
and in the last day I shall rise out of the earth and
in my flesh shall see my God ; whom I myself shall see,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another : this my hope
is laid up in my bosom."* In the New Testament this
truth is still more clearly revealed. "The horn* cometh,"
says om- Redeemer, "wherein all that are in the grave
shall hear the voice of the Son of God. And they that
have done good things shall come forth unto the resun-ec-
• Job, xix, 25, 26, 27.
RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 115
tion of life ; but they that have done evil, unto the resur-
rection of judgment."* And St. Paul says, "In a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet : for the
ti'umpet shall soxmd, and the dead shall rise again incor-
ruptible."t This resurrection will be general: all, the
great and the little, the .ji^ist and the impious, those who
are now upon the earth, those who shall come after us, all
shall die, — as well as those who have gone before us from
tlie beginning of the world, — and shall vise again with the
s:ime bodies which they had in this life. It is God himself,
who, by his Almighty power, will perform this prodigy.
As He has drawn all things from nothing by his will alone ,
in the same way, He will easily reassemble our scattered
members, and unite them to our souls. It is not more
-liiiicult for the Almighty to give life to our inanimate
bodies, than it was for Him to create them in the begin-
ning. We have, every year, before our eyes, an image of
this resurrection. Are not the plants, as it were, dead
during the winter, and do they not appear to rise up again
in spring ? Do not the seeds ■ivhich are sown in the earth
rot, and, in a manner, die, in order to spring up afterwards
witli greater beauty? It is the same with our l^odies :
they are a kind of seed, which are put into the earth, and
which will come forth again full of life. The bodies of the
Just will no longer be gross, heavy, and corruptible, as they
are ;it present; they will be brilliant as the sun, exempt
from every pain and inconvenience, full of strength and
agility, as was tlio body of our Lord after his resurrection.
The just, who are his children, sanctilied by his grace,
united and incorporated with him by faith, will rise like
liim . Jesus Christ will transform their corruptible bodies,
tuid make them lilvc unto his own glorious and impassible
body.
As the body shares, here below, in tlie good or evil
which the soul performs, so shall it, hereafter, be a partic-
ipator in the soul's happiness or misery. Sinners shall
rise, but their bodies will not be glorified ; they shall rise,
but only to be consigned, body and soul, to torments, in-
* John, V, 28, 29 1 1 Cor., xv, 25,
116 DUTIES OP A CHRISTIAN.
conceivable m their extent and eternal in lli<;ir daralion.
"The whole multitude that sleep in the da-J, of the tomb,
shall awaken; some to eternal life; other* tj endless
misery and opprobrium."
What a spectacle will then be presented to our eyes !
What sentiments will be excited in ouv hearts, when we
shall hear the sound of the last trumpet; when this ter-
rible voice shall be heard throughout Lbe earth : " Arise
ye dead, and come to judgment!" «»lien we shall see all
men reappear, and when there will be no other distinction
between them, but that which their woi-ks shall mve
made! St. Jerome, in his desert, mia/iined continually,
that he heard the sound of the last trumpet, and his soul
was greatly terrified. We have ma>;ii more i-eason to fear
than he, and yet, how tranquilly \><:; iive! To the just, the
future resurrection of the body is ;), subject of hope and
consolation: to the wicked, of aUrm and consternation.
o
In the reign of Antiochus, the r^^^von Machabees. to-
gether with their mother, sufFerea coiirageously the most
cruel torments, rather than violate the law of the Lord,
because they had a lively hope in a future resurrection.
The first had his tongue cut out, and the skin of bis head
drawn off; and when he was maimed in all parts, being
still alive, he was brought to the fire, and fried in a frying-
pan. The second being about to expire, said to the king:
Thou, indeed, 0 most wicked man, destroyest us out of
this present life, but the king of the world will raise us up
in the resurrection of eternal life. The third said with
confidence: These members I have received from Heaven,
but for the law of God I now despise them, because I hope
to receive them again from Ilim. The fourth said.- It is
better, being put to death by men, to look for hope from
God, to be raised up again l^y llun. The others showed
equal courage and intrepidity. The youngest, however,
still remained, and Antiochus endeavored to overcome
Ms constancy by caresses and- the promise of reward.
Seeing that he could not prevail, he called his mother, and
counselled her to use her influence with her son to save
LIFE EVERLASTING. 117
his life ; but this generous heroine, addressing her son,
said; Look upon heaven and earth, and all that is in them;
consider that God made them out of nothing, and man-
kind also ; so shalt thou not fear this tormentor, but being
made a worthy partner with thy brethi-en, receive death,
that I may receive thee again with them. Antiochus,
em'aged, vented all his fuiy on the youth : the admirable
mother, herself, was the next victim of his cruelty. — -
Machabees, ch. vii.
E.xKRCisEs. — 1. Will our bodies rise again? — i. Repeat the passages
uf Scripture which clearly establish the dogma of the resurrection . —
3. How will the resurrection of the body take place? — 4. Does nature
afford us an imago of the resurrection ? — 5. In what state wiU the just
nse ? — G. The sinners? — 7- What effect should the thought of the
resurrection produce in us ?
CHAPTER Kin.
ARTICLE 12. "life EVERLASTIXPt."
Our souls being in their nature uumortal, will, on their
separation from our bodies, pass from this life to another ;
from tills visible woild to a world that is invisible fhe "
pagans, themselves, believed in the existence of a future
life, in which men would be rewarded or punished accord-
ing to their deserts. The expectation of a future life is,
then, the doctrine of the human race — the belief of
nature. There is another life after this, and that life shall
never end. We shall be eternally happy or eternally
miserable, and our happiness or misery will depend on the
state of our souls at the moment of oui- departure hence.
As the soul may be stained with many venial faults which,
for a time, exclude from Eeaven, but deserve not the
punishment of hell, there is a third place, called pur gatori/,
where must rcmam, until purilied. those souls which are
suUied with venial trangressions. oi' which have not fully
satislied the Divine Justice for the debt of temporal punish
ment, ordinarily remaining due after mortal sin has been
remitted m the saci'ament of Penance.
1S8 DTJTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
St. Bernard left his paternal home, to lead with his
brothers a life of solitude, and to devote himself exclu-
sively to the service of God. Parting with his little
brother Nivard, he said to him; " Farewell. Nivard ! hence-
forth the estates are yours : we are going to enter into relig-
ion.'' "Ah!" said the pious and thoughtful child, "you
take Heaven for your portion, and leave me the earth for
mine ; assuredly the division is unequal." Sensible of the
value of the happiness they had purchased, he soon after
resigned his estates, and followed his brothers to religion.
— Butler's Lives of the Saints.
Exercises — 1. What becomes of the soul on its separation from the
body ? — 2. Has the dogma of a future life been known only to Chris-
tians? — 3. Is it reasonable that there should be a place of expiation
after this life ?
SECTION 1.
Of Purgatory.
To enter Heaven immediately after death, the soul must
either have preserved its baptismal innocence, or recovered
. lost grace by penance ; for nothing defiled can enter
Heaven. St. John, in concluding his description of the
New Jerusalem (Heaven), says, " There shall not enter into
it anything defiled."* Human weakness is so great, that
it is very difficult for the soul to preserve itself so pure
from the contagion of the world, as not to have to reproach
itself at death with, at least, some venial faults ; hence,
the necessity of a place of expiation for these faults, as
well as to supply the want of sufficient satisfaction for the
temporal punishment due to sins remitted in the sacra-
ment of Penance. In the Old Law this truth was perfectly
known : men instructed in religion were aware that souls
were purified from venial sins by temporary punishment,
before they could enter Umbo, the place of repose in
which the just awaited the coming of Jesus Christ, who
was to conduct them to Heaven. The courageous Judas
Machabeus sent money to Jerusalem, in order that prayers
* Apoc-, XX i. 27.
OF PURGATORT. 119
and sacrilices might be offered for those who were killed
in battle ; knowing well, as he said, that "it is a holy and
wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be
loosed from sins."* This truth has been clearly established
by the decision of the Church, founded on the words of
Jesus Christ, who says, that the sins against the Holy
Ghost will not be forgiven in tliis world, nor in the world
to come.t Although the Church has decided notliing as
to the grievousness of the pains endured in purgatory, yet,
it is certain, that they are proportionate to the greatness
of the sanctity and majesty of Him who was offended by
the sins they punish ; and that, consequently, they must
be very great. Many of the holy Fathers assure us, that
they differ from those of hell only in their duration, and in
the patience with which they are borne.
We can relieve the souls in purgatory, and, in conform-
ity mth the spirit of the Church, we ought to do so. They
are the predestined, the friends of Jesus Christ, who shall
one day reign with him in Heaven, when they will, doubt-
less, indemnify us a hundred-fold for the sacrilices we may
have made to comfort them, or to abridge their sufferings.
They are our neighboi-s, parents, friends, or benefactors,
who, from the depth of their prison, cry out to us in accents
of supplication, " Have pity on me, have pity on me, at
least you my friends 1"J '• My dear child," cries out, per-
haps, a father or a mother, from the midst of the flames in
wliich they are enveloped, " we suffer incomprehensible
pains in this place of sorrow ; have pity on us, to whom
you owe such great obligations ; to whom you owe your
life and property ; attend to our supplications, and relieve
us in our sufferings. The hearing of Mass, an alms, a
prayer, the enduring of some privation, the sacrilice of
some pleasure, may, if offered for us, deliver us from the
torments we endure, and procure om* admission into ever-
lasting glory. Ah I will you be insensible to our evils, or
can you forget us in the day of our necessity ? can you
revel in delights, whilst we are plunged in devouring
fire?"
•2Mac., xii, 46. t Matt.,xii 31, 42. t Job, xiK, 21.
1 20 DUTIES OP A CHRISTIAN.
A stranger, an enemy even, would excite our pity if we
saw him in tliis state, nor could we, for a moment, withhold
from liim our charitable assistance. In purgatory, those
who suffer are parents, brothers, sisters, friends, or souls
whom their relations or friends have forgotten ; and shall
we too abandon them ? They cannot satisfy the justice of
God but by paying "the last farthing ;"* they are prisoners,
detained for debt in tliis place of punishment, whom VF9
can release by satisfying for them. This we can do by
means of prayer, fasting, alms, indulgences. Communions,
or by the most holy and adorable Sacrifice of the Mass,
which may either be offered or heard for them.
Chariti/ makes it a duty incumbent on us to relieve
those holy souls ; '' And as you would that men should do
to you, do you also to them in lil^e manner."! Interest
imposes the same obligation : those holy souls, that we
shall have released, will plead for us in Heaven with ardor
and efficacy, and will become our powerful protectors,
Justice, even, requires that we aid the souls in purgatory,
since many, either for having flattered our passions, or for
having offended God on our account, may still be de
tained in this place of torments.
St. Perpetua, St. Felicitas, and other servants of God,
having been arrested for tlie faith, were confined in a
prison, in which St. Perpetua was favored with several
visions. In the first, it was revealed to her, that she and
her companions should all suffer martyi'dom. In the
second, she saw one of her brothers, who had been some
time dead. It appeared to her as if tliis boy suffered hor-
rible pains, and, above all, that he was tormented with a
burning thirst : she imagined also, that there was near him,
a vessel filled with water, but which, notwithstanding re-
peated efforts, he could not possibly reach, so as to pro
cure any relief. Understanding by this vision that her
brother was in purgatory, the saint, together with her
companions, offered fervent prayers for him ; and, in some
days after, they again saw him richly clad, and refreshing
• Matt., V, 2. t Luke, vi, 31
OP HEAVEN. 121
himself out of the vessel which stood in the plain. Thus
our Lord was pleased to show the efficacy of prayers for the
relief of the faithful departed.
Exercises. — 1. That the sotil may enter into eternal life imme-
diately after death, what is requisite ? — 2. To what are the soiila
condemned, who leave this world .stained with venial fault's ?— 3. What
is purgatory ?— 4 Cite some iiasfage.s from the Holy Sori|itarcs which
clearly establish the doctrine of imrgatory .- 5. In what are the pains
of purgatory inferior to those of hell ? — 6. What motives should e.\cite
us to relieve the souls in purgatory ? —7. JJy what moans can we aid
them?—?. What advantages can wo procure ourselves by praying for
the souls of purgatory ?
SECTION II.
Of Heaven.
Heaven is the kingdom of God's glory and magnificence ;
the dwelling-place which lie has prepared for his angels,
and for men who have lived in liis fear and died in his
love : but to give us an idea of the immense riches, the
ineffable joys of Paradise, it would be necessary that one of
its blessed inhabitants should descend from Heaven to
declare its wonders. St. Paul tells us, that " eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart
of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love
Him."* Imagine, if you can, the joy of a soul on its en-
trance into Heaven. Oh I what a delightful moment
mast th it l>e. in wliich the miseries of this life terminate,
and the hippiness of eternity commences 1 what delight,
what joy, what transport, to see God, and to be assured of
the happiness of possessing Him for all eternity I
What joy for a caj^tive when he recovers his liberty, and
is emancipated from the slavery to wloich he had long been
consigned ! what joy for a captive, long immured within
the walls of a dismal prison, when, in the end, he enjoys
the light of day ! what joy for the mariner, who has long
been tossed on the stormy sea, in the midst of tempests
and quicksands, in which he was in danger of perishing, to
arrive safely at the destined port ! — weak, imperfect image
• 1 Cor., ii, 9.
122 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
of the joy, the consolation, the happiness of a soul that,
after the long captivity, the sorrowful exile, the protracted
sufferings of this vale of tears, finds herself in the happy
port of salvation — the region of the living, to dwell forever
in the bosom of God, the Author of her being, the Term of
her desires, the Centre of her repose, without fear of
ever losing Him, and assured of ever participating in that
happiness which He himself enjoys.
But it is not sufficient to know the happiness of Heaven ;
we must endeavor to merit its possession by the practice
of good works. '-Narrow is the gate,''* says Jesus Christ ;
let us then make every effort to enter by it. How great
soever these efforts may be, they are nothing when com-
pared with so great a good.
What ! we have not the courage to do a little violence
to ourselves, to deprive ourselves of some gratifications, to
overcome human respect, in order to merit so great a hap-
piness ! Where is our faith? where is our reason ? Men
sacrifice, every day, their repose, their health, for the ac-
quisition of a little honor -, they labor all their lives for a
little wealth, which they know they must quit in dying ;
and for Heaven, which they are always to possess, they
will do notliing. "An eternity of labor would not be too
much," says St. Augustine, "to procure an eternity of
happiness ; and yet we cannot afford it the labor of a
single moment!" A few short prayers, morning and
evening, alarm us ; confession terrifies us ; the sanctifica-
tion of the Sunday we sacrifice to human respect ; the
abstinences of the Church, to sensuality ; our duties, to
the love of pleasure ; — and yet we pretend to be associated
with martyrs, those men of vh'tue, those heroes of religion !
Heaven is a recompense, we must then labor to gain it ;
it is a crown, we must light to obtain it ; it is a conquest,
we must do violence to ourselves to merit it ; those who
know how to overcome themselves, are the heroes who
bear it away. Heaven is the dwelling-place of sanctity ;
itH gates are oi)cn only to innocence or penance. If wo
* Matt., vii, 14.
OF HEAVEN. 123
occupy ourselves with the vanities, the goods, and
pleasures of this life, we are neither innocent nor peni-
tent : we are, consequently, unworthy of admission into
Heaven.
Ah I how consoling it is to the virtuous Christian td
know that all he does for God will be abundantly recom-
pensed ; that a drop of cold water given in his name, a
sigh which escapes the heart, will not be lost before this
good Master With what constancy does he not support
the trials of this life ! The losses and disgraces wliich so
frequently lead the impious to despair, become for the just
a subject of merit, by the resignation with which they re-
ceive them, and the hope of being recompensed in
Heaven, which they regard as their permanent dwelling-
place. Thither they send daily the treasure of theii' good
works ; it is for Heaven they labor, for Heaven they adorp
their souls.
If we knew the happiness tliat awaits us in Heaven, and
how much a soul can glorify the Lord, not only would we
labor with ardor for our own salvation, bat we would do
all in our power to procure the salvation of others, partic-
ularly that of our relations and friends. Tliis would be
the true means of testifying oui" love to them. We can do
nothing more advantageous to our neighbor, nor more
glorious to God; for "he,'' says St. Chrysostom, "who
macerates his body by austerity, merits less than he who
gains a soul to God : it is a far gi'eater thing to save our
brethi-en. than to work miracles.'' What but zeal for
salvation of souls has induced so many apostolic men to
quit their country, their relations, their friends, and, at the
risk of their lives, to cross the seas to convert infidels, or
baptize children in danger of death? "He." says St.
James, "who causeth a sinner to be converted from the
error of liis way, shall save his soul from death, and shall
cover a multitude of sins.'"*
Mr. Boursoul discharged at Rennes, during forty years,
• James, v, 20,
124 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
the functions of the sacred ministry. He bore, without
interruption or relaxation, the fatigues of the pulpit, and
the painful labors of the confessional. He wished, be used
to say, to die with anas in his hands, that is, in the dis-
charge of his duty. " Ah ! if I were worthy to obtain this
favor of my God 1 I every day beg r^^ Him that I may close
my life either in announcing liis Gospel from the chair
of truth, or in exercising, in the sacred tribunal, the
rights of justice and of mercy." A prayer dictated by such
heroic motives of ardent charity, merited to be heard. On
Easter Monday, 1774, Father Bouisoul said Mass at five
o'clock in the morning, and then went to his confessional.
About two o'clock he went to the Church of All-Saints,
where, notwithstanding his age and infirmitii^s, he had
preached during Lent, and at thi-ee he ascended the pul-
pit, to preach on the glory and happiness of the saints. In
his mamier, he had all the vigor and energy of youth ; his
voice possessed more than ordinary distinctness ; and his
gesture and the expression of his countenance were such
as, beforehand, to indicate what he was going to utter.
Towards the conclusion of the first part of lais discourse,
after a most lively and affecting description of the beauties
of Paradise, and of the joys of the blessed, he made a new
effort, and cried out: "No, my brethren, never will it be
given to the weak eyes of man to sustain here below the
splendor of the divine Majesty ; '" then lowering a little
his voice, "It is in Heaven that we shall see Him face to
face, and without a veil." These words were pronounced
in a distinct tone, after which he said again in Latin,
" Videhimtis aim sicuti est,'' and leaning forward on the
front of the pulpit, he calmly expired. His eyes were fixed
on Heaven, and he contmued in this position. The church
was tilled with an extraordinary concoui'se of people, and
the consternation became general : some screamed ;
others wept ; others fainted ; others cried aloud, " He is a
saint ! he died while speaking of the happiness of Heaven !"
The voice of a child was distinctly heard pronouncing
these words : " He was speaking of Paradise, and he has
gone to take possession of it ! "' — Carron.
OP HELL. 125
Exercises. — 1. What is Heaven? — 2. Can man comprehend the
happiness ttat God reserves for him in Heaven? — 3. What must we
do to merit this happiness ? — 4- With what sentiments should the
thought of Heaven inspire us ?— 5. What would bo the result if wo
knew the happiness that awaits us in Heaven ?
SECTION III.
Of Hell.
Hell is a place of torments, in which sinners shall be
punished with the devils for all eternity. This, like all the
other articles of our faith, has been revealed by God.
Jesus Clu-ist speaks in the Gospel of a '' fm^nace of fire ;"*
of a place of punishment in which " there shall be weeping
and gnashing of teeth." t Those who doubt the certainty
of a hell, and, under this pretext, follow then* sinful in-
clinations, are either blind or corrupt ; they risk an eter-
nity of punishment for the pleasure of a moment.
There are two kinds of pain suffered in hell ; the pain
of loss, and the pain of sense. The pain of loss consists in
the privation of the vision of God ; the pain of sense con«
sists in suffering the most excruciating torments, without
the least comfort or relaxation. The Holy Scriptures
describe these torments in the most energetic terms. A
fire shall devour the reprobate : the worm that gnaws
them shall never die, and the fire which devours them
shall never be extinguished. This fire will torment the
corporal senses, which have served as the instruments of
sin, as well as the intellectual faculties, from which the guilt
proceeded. It will devour, without destroying them. All
the damned are deprived of the sight of God, and sufter in
proportion to the number and grievousness of theu' offen-
ces. They shall suffer eternally, in body and soul, the
most exquisite torments ; and shaD be agonized by des-
pair, and destitute of the slightest consolation. That
these pains are eternal, is an article of faith founded upon
the Holy Scriptures. The Prophet Isaiah tells us, that
" their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be
• Matt., xiii, 42. t Matt., xxv, 30
126 DUTIES OF A OHfRISTIAN.
quenched."* Tlie wicked, we are assured, in St. Matthew,
"shall go into everlasting punishment." t
But is not God too merciful to punish, with eternal
misery, sins which have been committed in a moment ?
The mercy of God is, indeed, infinite ; but his mercy is not
contrary to his justice, and that justice requires that the
impenitent sinner shall be punished eternally ; nor is this
wonderful. The sm of him who dies impenitent is, on
account of his disposition, in some manner eternal,
and, therefore, deserves eternal punishment. Mortal sin
destroys, as far as it is capable, an infinite and eternal
good, and ought, therefore, to be punished by sufferings
infinite and eternal in their duration, as man, being finite,
is incapable of suffering a punishment infinite in its nature.
Human justice itself often punishes a single crime with a
chastisement eternal in its own way, perpetual banishment,
for example ; so that if the criminal did not die, his exile
from his country would be perpetual. Why, then, should
not the Divine Justice banish for ever from the heavenly
country the impenitent smner, who excludes himself from
its possession, by voluntarily dying in enmity with God ?
Be not, then, deceived, but form, from this moment, a
firm resolution of avoiding sin in futui^e, since it would
inevitably lead to yom- eternal ruin : do not expose yourself
to this greatest misfortime ; rather sacrifice all yom* worldly
interests : '' For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the
whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul ? or what
exchange shall a man give for liis soul ? " $
Some young persons of immoral lives, conversing with a
religious of a most austere order, bantered him on his
mortified manner of living, and concluded by saying,
" Indeed, Father, you shall be very much taken in, if tliere
be no Heaven. " " And you, my childi-en, much more, if
there is a hell," replied the religious, ''and the word ol
God assures us that there is."
The Gospel tells us of the rich glutton that, '• lifting up
his eyes, when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar
• la-, Ixvi, 24. t Matt., xxv, 46. J Matt., xvi, 26.
SIGN OF THE CROSS. 127
oflf, and Lazarus in his bosom •, and he cried and said-
Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Laz-injs,
that he may dip the tip oflois finger in water, to cool my
tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. And Abraham
said to him: Son, remember that thou didst receive good
thmgs in thy life-time, and lilcewise Lazarus evil things ;
but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.'' *
ExEFCisES.— 1. AVhat is hell ?— 2. How many kinds of pain are suffer-
ed in hell, and in what do they consist? — 3. Shall tho pains .f the
repr<^bate last for all eternity ?— 4. How should those persons be answer-
ed who say that God is too merciful to punish with eternal misery sins
that have been committed in a moment ?— 5. What salutary effect should
th« thought of hell produce in us V
CHAPTER XIV.
The Profession of our Faith, and the Sign of the Cross.
To make profession of our faith is one of our most essen-
tial duties ; for Jesus Christ will refuse to acknowledge as
disciples, those who will have been ashamed to belong to
him, or to make open profession of their belief in him.
"He," says Christ, "that shall deny me before men, I will
also deny liim before my Father who is in Heaven."! One
of the means of showing that we are Christians, and that we
consider ourselves honored in being such, is to make rcUg-
iously the Sign of the Cross. There are two ways in which
the Sign of the Cross is made : first, by signing with the
thumb the forehead, lips, and breast, as is done by the
priest before reading the Gospels at Mass, and which the
faithful ought to do in like manner. We sign the forehead,
to show that we are not ashamed of being Christians, nor
of performing the works of a Chiistian ; the mouth, to
declare that we are ready to profess our belief in God and
in his Son Jesus Chi'ist ; the breast, to express our love for
the Cross of Jesus Christ, and that we believe firmly what
we profess with our lips.
The second manner of making the Sign of the Cross is
by putting the right hand to the forehead, then under the
• Luke, xri, 23, 24, 25. 1 Matt., x, 33.
128 DUTIES OF A OHRISTLAJI.
breast, tlien to the left and the right shoulder ; saying : Id
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost. Amen.
In making the Sign of the Cross, we profess our belief in
the Unity of God by the word " name,'''' ( not names ) ; and
we profess our belief in the Ti'inity by naming the three
divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
We profess our belief in the Incarnation of the Son of God,
and of our redemiDtion through him, by marking our-
selves with the figure of that Cross on which he bled for
the salvation of mankind ; and in the mystery of grace,
by moving the hand from the left, the figure of sin, to the
right, the figm-e of the grace which our Lord Jesus Christ
has merited for us.
These words, In the name of tlie Father, &c., signify,
moi^eover, "I do this action to honor, please, and obey the
Most Holy Trinity. I wish to render the three divmo Per-
sons all the homage in my power ; I do tliis action by the
help of the Most Holy Trinity, acknowledging that I can
do nothing but by the jsower which the Father communi-
cates to me, by the grace which the Son has purchased for
me, and by the light which the Holy Ghost imparts to
me."
We should, then, be careful to make the Sign of the
Cross morning and evening, before and after meals, at the
beginning and end of our prayers, at the commencement
of every principal action, but always with respect, and
with attention to its meanmg : this would be a sure means
of drawing down upon ourselves and our undertakings,
the blessing of the Almighty. We should also make it, at
least on our hearts, in every danger of soul or body.
A young person was ashamed to make the Sign of the
Cross m the presence of a stranger, before an action, at
the commencement of which it was usual for him to make
it. One who was witness of his cowardice and of his little
love for Jesus Chi'ist, thus addressed liim : "Our Blessed
Lord did not blush to die on a Cross to redeem you, and
yet you blush to form upon yourself the august sign of
SIGN OF THE CROSS. 129
your redemption! I trust," he added, "that henceforth
you will make it your glory to belong to your adorable
Master : and may the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, bless
you, through the merits of the passion and death of om-
Lord Jesus Christ ! " — Lasausse.
ExKRCiSKS — 1. Is it essential that we make open profession of our
faith ? — 2. How can we make this profession briefly ? —3. Why, during
Holy Mass, do we make the Sign of the Cross on the forehead, mouth,
and breast?— 4. In what mysteries do we profess our belief when we
make the Sign of the Cross? 5. With what thoughts should the Sign of
t he Cross inspire us ?— 6. When should we make the Sign of the Cross ?
PART SECOND.
OF THE LOVE OF GOD AND OF OUR NEIGHBOR.
CHAPTER I.
Of the Commandments in general.
God had, from the very beginning, engraved his Law ob
the heart of man ; but, as its impression was graduallj-
effaced. He determined on publisliing it in a solemn manner
in the presence of the Hebrews, whom He had chosen ass
his special people. For this purpose, fifty days after theii-
departure from Egypt, He called Moses, whom He had
chosen as the leader of his people, to the top of Mount
Sinai , where He made known to him liis design of contract-
ing TOth them an eternal alliance. Moses having assembled
the chiefs of the nation, announced to them the orders of
the Lord, and desired them to communicate the same to
the people. The people, on hearing the order of God,
replied with one voice, "All that the Lord hath spoken,
we will do.''* Three days after, early iu the morning, a
dark cloud was seen overhangmg the summit of the
mountain, thunders were heard to roar, lightning flashed,
and a sound, like that of many trumpets, was heard,
which gradually became louder and louder. The people,
terrified, took refuge in their tents, but Moses command-
ed them to advance to the boundary, wliich, by God's
order, he had marked out for them at the foot of the
mountaua. Li the midst of this terrible manifestation of
Almighty power, the voice of God was distinctly heard
pronouncing the Ten Commandments : " / am the Lord
thy God:' &c.t
The Ten Commandments were afterwards written on
two tables of stone, and thus the Lord, having made him-
self known, and having asserted his right to command us,
published his Law and ordained its observance. This Law
is given to us as well as to the Israelites ; it is the Law of
• Ezodas, six, 8. ' t F.xodus, xx, 2.
THE OOMMAISUMKNTS IN GEMERAL. 13]
nature ; the Law of all nations ; the duties which it en-
forces are the duties of all men, the fullilment or neglect
of which, will decide their eternal destiny. The first three
precepts of the Decalogue prescribe to us our duties to
God ; and the other seven, our duties towards our neigh-
bor ; thus, the love of God and our neighbor is the abridg-
uient of the Law.
A venerable man, seeing himself surrounded by a num-
ber of cliikh'en, who pressed upon him, eager to receive
instruction, spoke to them of the happiness of serving God,
and of the great advantages they would derive from lideli
ty to his commandments. ''My dear children,'' said he,
•'observe with what punctuality earthly monarchs oblige
their subjects to obey their ordinances, and reflect that the
Almighty, who is the King of kings, will not suffer any one
to violate liis commandments with impunity. During my
long Ufe I have ever remarked six things : —
1. That those who do not fear God are always unhappy :
2. That those who work on Sundays never become rich ;
3. That goods dishonestly acquired, arc quickly squan
dered ;
4. That almsdeeds never impoverish ;
5. That morning and evening prayers never retard one's
business ;
6. That a vicious and disobedient child is sure to be un
happy.'' — Little Souvexir.
EXERCWEs. —1. Why (lid God determine on publishing his Law in a
solemn manner? — 2. Where and h(.iw was the Law promulgated V —
3. Uecite the Ten Commandments which were given to the Jews.—
i- Were the Commandments given to t!ie Israelites only ? — 5. Whatdc
ihe two parts, into which the Commandments are divided, prescribe ?
CHAPTER II.
OF THE FIRST COMxMAND.MENT.
" I AM THE LORD THY GOD ; THOU SHALT NOT HAVE
STRANGE GODS BEFORE ME " *
The First Commandment obliges us to beUeve in God,
to hope in llim, to love Him with our whole heart, cand to
adoro but Hhn alone.
* Esodus, XX, 2, 3.
132 DUTtPS OF A CHRISTIAN.
SECTION 1.
Of Faith.
Faith is a supernatural and theological virtue, by which
we firmly believe all the truths which the Church teaches,
because God, who cannot deceive nor be deceived, has
been pleased to reveal them. These truths are contained
in the Holy Scriptures and Tradition. The Scriptures ars
the sacred books which have been written by the inspira
tion of the Holy Ghost, and are called the Old and the
New Testament. By Tradition is meant that portion of the
word of God which h;is not been wiitten by those to whom
God revealed it, but has descended to us thi'ough every
succeeding age by the teaching of the Apostles and of
then- lawful successors. The Church, to whom the sacred
deposit of Scripture and Tradition has been confided,
determines their true mterpretation, which she proposes
to the faithful, with an infallible judgment and sovereign
authority. God himself has given her this power, promis-
ing to preserve her from all error, and to assist her in her
teaching, to the consummation of the world : " Behold I
am with you all daj^s, even to the consummation of the
world." * We must, then, believe, without doubt oi
hesitation, all that the Church teaches, for there is no
salvation to be hoj^ed for by him who does not believe
her doctrines. '• He that believeth and is baptized," says
our Blessed Redeemer, "shall be saved: but he that
believeth not, shall be condemned."!
Faith, then, is absolutely necessary for our justification
and salvation. This virtue honors God, and renders Him
nomage as the Sovereign and Infallible Truth. It is, as
St. Paul assures us, a sacrifice wliich we make to Him, by
submittmg our judgment to his mfallible word, and silen-
cing our objections and prejudices, to believe, without any
shadow of doubt, on the authority of his divine word,
things which our senses cannot perceive, nor our undoi ■
standmg comprehend. We should frequently make acts
• Mati., xxviii. 20. f Mark, xvi, 16.
OF FAITH 133
of Faith upon the truths of our holy religion, that we may
thus testify to God our humble submission to the doctrine
n'liich He has revealed. .
The submission which we owe to the word of God, and
to the teaching of his Church, will appear perfectly reason-
aV)le when we consider, that we every-day believe, on the
estiniony of men, many things which we have never seen ;
nd others, which, though perceptible to the senses, we
nnot comprehend.
The word of that God, who can neither deceive nor be
eceived, merits infmitely more credit than the testimony
man, or than that of our own senses and judgment.
hich, being limited in their nature, are liable to err.
Nothuig can be more reasonable than to beheve, on the
authority of God, things which we do not comprehend :
we believe, then, because God has revealed, for Faith is
founded, not on our own weak conceptions, but on God's
infallible word. The mysteries of religion can be known
only by revelation. God has revealed them, and has
established on earth, an infallible authority to propose
them to us. As He has called all men to the knowledge
of the truth, lie has furnished them with the means of
knowing it, suited to the capacities of all. To be. a
Cluistian, nothing is wanted but docility ; and this docility
is not a blind and stupid credulity, but an enlightened
submission, founded upon the strongest motives, and
those most capable of determining a reasonable man.
Public facts, stupendous miracles, are the incontestable
roofs wliioli establish the truth of religion.
''Jesus Christ," says St. Augustine, "requii-es Faith
•om men ; but before reciuiring it, he proved himself en-
tied to it by miracles." This is the proof to wliieh he
imself referred the Jews when he said: '• The works that
do in the name of my Father, they give testimony of me.
f I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But
*■ I do, though you will not believe me, believe the
vorks."* Miracles are, then, the evidences of truth -, and
we cannot, without impiety, reject a doctrine which they
* Jol a, X, 26, 37, 38.
! 34 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
have confirmed. It would be the height of absurdity, nay,
impiety, to suppose, that God would employ his almighty
power to authorize a falsehood.
We must believe all that the Church, " the pillar and
the ground of truth.'"* teaches ; to reject a single article,
would be to deny her authority. We would sin against
Faith if we wilfully doubted any one of the truths which
she proposes to us, and we would expose ourselves to
the danger of falling into tins sin, were we to read heret-
ical or infidel books : for, — '-he that loveth danger, shall
perish in it.""t We would also sin against Faith if, through
fear of men, or any other motive, we renounced it exter-
nally, or by word of mouth, although, at the same time,
believing it in our own heart. '"With the heart," says
St. Paul, " we believe unto justice ; but. with the mouth,
confession is made unto salvation.' 'J The martyrs pre-
ferred the most unheard-of cruelties, and even death itself,
rather than dissemble their belief before the tyrants by
whom they were persecuted.
We would sin also against this virtue, by neglecting to
be instructed in those truths of religion, the knowledge of
which is necessary to salvation. By this criminal neglect,
several Christians live in ignorance of what they are bound
to know, and, thereby, commit numberless sins which
they do not perceive.
We distinguish many kinds of Faith; namely, huVian,
or natural faith, by which we believe on the authoi-ity of
man ; divine, or siipaniatural faith, by which we believe
on the authority of God ; living, or practical faith, which is
accompanied with charity and good works ; dead, or
theoretic faith, which is deprived of them ; infused faith,
which we receive in Baptism ; acquired faith, which is an
increase of the divine light, obtained by the practice of
virtue ; implicit faith, by which we believe generally all
the truths the Church teaches ; and explicit faith, by
wliich we must believe certain truths distinctly — such as
the mystery of the Most Holy Trinitj% the Incarnation and
• Tim., iii, 15. t Ecclus-, iii, 27. X Rom., x, 10.
i
OP HOPB. 135
Redemption, the last four things, and what regards the
Commandments, Prayei-, the Sacraments, &c.
In a company in which, hy the providence of God, a
Clergyman happened to be present, some young persons
si^oke with unbecoming levity of the truths of religion,
and affected to disbelieve some of the articles which the
Church teaches. "Gentlemen," said the good Father,
you seem not to believe these things now, but I assure you,
you shall one day believe them, if not in time, at least in
eternitji ; but it is melancholy to reflect, that your belief will
then be like that of the devils, for they believe, and yet
are, and shall forever be, in torments." — Meraitlt.
Exercises. —1. AVhat does the Fir.st Commandment require of us?
— 2. What is Faith ? — 3. AVhere are these truths to be found? —
4- Is Faith necessary for salvation ? — 5 How does St- Paul detlne this
virtue ? — 6. Is the submission reasonable which we owe to the word of
God and the teaching of his Church ? — 7. How do persons sin against
Faith ? — 8. What do you mean by human faith '? divine faith ? ifcc , &c.
SECTION n.
Of Hope.
Hope is a supernatm-al and theological virtue, by which
we expect, with a firm confidence, from the goodness of
God, the gifts which He has promised us.
How ineffably great and precious are these gifts ! They
are nothing less than " the good things of the Lord in the
land of the living,"* — the eternal possession of God him-
self. We, of ourselves, a»'e kicapable of meriting such a
happiness ; but God, who loves us, notwithstandmg our
misery and miworthiness, has promised all the graces ne-
cessary to obtain it. He has given us his only Son, that
whoever believes in Him, may not perish, but have life
everlasting. The sight of our miseries ought not to prevent
us from hoping m God, and expecting the possession of
the happiness which He has promised ; his almighty
power, to which nothing is impossible, his infinite mercy,
" Psalm xxvi, 13.
136 DITTIGS OF A OHRISKAN.
the inexhaustible merits of Jesus Christ, the power of his
grace, of liis promises, the command which He has given
us to hope in Him, — these are the foundations of the Chris-
tian's Hope. After such assurances, we would do Ilim an
injury not to hope in Him. As God desu'es to be believed
when He speaks, so He desii-es also to be trusted when
He promises ; our confidence ought, then, to be absolute
and persevering. Christian Hope is not uncertain or waver-
ing: it is a firm confidence, because it rests on an un-
shaken foundation. St. Paul compares it to a firm anchor,
which retains the vessel in the midst of the tempest. This
hope, when humble, sincere and persevering, can never be
confounded ; for God cannot fail in his promises. Heaven
and earth shall pass away, but one word of the Lord shall
not fail. We are then assured that, if we have confidence
m God, He will grant us all that He has promised. " My
children," says the Almighty, " behold the generation of
men ; and know ye, that no one hath hoped in the Lord,
and hath been confounded."*
Christian Hope is opposed by two vices, despaii- and
jDresumption. We sin against Hope when we despaii* of
salvation. Such was the sin of Cain, who, after the murder
of lais brother, said, "My iniquity is greater than that I
may deserve pardon.' 't Despair is a most horrible crime in
the sight of God, because it is an outrage against his good-
ness, which, of all his perfections, He loves most to man-
ifest to men, and to which He is most desirous that they
should render homage by confidence the most unbounded.
"Can a woman," says the Lord, " forget her infant, so as
not to have pity on the son of h^r womb ? and if she should
forget, yet will not I forget thee. Behold, I have graven
thee m my hands." And again: "If j^om* sins be as
scarlet, they shall be made white as snow ; and if they be
as red as crimson, they shall be made white as wool. "J
There is no sin, fiowever heinous, which our Lord li;is not
expiated by his death, and the pardon of which he has not
merited. From the height cf his cross he announced to us,
that all his blood is ours. This infinitely loving Father
• Eoclus , ii, 11. tGen-.iv, 13. t Isaias, xlix, 15, lA and i, B.
OF BOPB. 137
asks but the return of his prodigal child ; our repentance
will awaken his tenderness ; however, we, on our part,
should be careful not to. abuse his patience and goodness
by otfending Him with greater liberty, and persevering in
our evil courses because lie is so ready to show us mercy.
A person sins against Hope when, presuming on the
mercy of God or on his own strength, he defers his conver-
sion. Such is the sin of those who form any erroneous
idea of the mercy of God, and believe that they can be
saved without ceasing to offend Him, or who, promising
themselves a long life, flatter themselves that it vrill be
time enough to think of their conversion when the period
of youth is past. Hoav many have been deceived by this
false confidence ! They reckoned on a future time for repent-
ance, but this time was not granted them. We should
avoid this illusion, and should not defer a single instant to
give ourselves to God. We do not know how long we shall
hve ; but we do know that every hour may be the last of
our lives. " Say not : I have sinned, and what harm hath
befallen me ? for the Most High is a patient Eewarder.
Be not without fear about sin forgiven, and add not sin
upon sin ; and say not : The mercy of the Lord is great. He
will have mercy on the multitude of my sins ; for mercy
•xnd wrath quickly come from Him, and his wrath looketh
upon sinners. Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and
defer it not from day to day ; for his wi'ath shall come on a
sudden, and in the time of vengeance He will destroy
thee.''* It is true that a sinner, the i^enitent thief, was
converted in his last moments; but this was a miracle
effected at the death of Jesus Christ, and woe to him whose
salvation depends upon a miracle ! "There was o?;c," said
an ancient Father, "that none might despair; there was
hut one, that none might presume."
We also sin against Hope by not having due submission
to the dispensations of Providence in our temporal con-
cerns, by mui'murmg against God, and believing ourselves
miserable when we meet with losses or afflictions, and by
impatiently wishing for death. Ah ! since we have so good
• EeelUs.. y, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9-
138 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
a Father, who never permits any cross or affiction to befall
us but such as He knows and designs to be for our real
good and advantage, how can we repme at the disposi-
tions of his all-ruling providence, or fail to repose due
confidence in Him ? Does not our Blessed Savior assure
us that the very hairs of our head are all numbered, and
that witliout his permission not one of them ^;hail perish ?*
We should be well persuaded that riches, health/ and
other temporal advantages, may be very detrimental to our
eternal salvation, and that it is good to suffer the priva-
tion of them when such is the will of God. We ought not
only to disregard all losses, but even believe that we have
lost nothing, so long as we are permitted to hope for the
eternal possession of the kingdom of Heaven.
To animate and fortify our Hope, we ought to habituate
ourselves to make frequent and fervent acts of this virtue,
particularly when we are in temptation and affliction.
God permitted St. Francis of Sales to experience a most
trying and dangerous temptation. While he was finishing
his studies in Paris, being then only sixteen years of age,
the enemy of man filled his imagination with the dismal
thought that he was numbered among the reprobate.
This temptation so afflicted his soul, that it deprived him
of his rest ; he would neither eat nor drink ; his sight be^
came dim, and his strength visibly declined. His pre-
ceptor perceiving tlie condition to which he was reduced,
that he took no pleasure in anything, and that a pale and
sickly hue was settling on his countenance, inquired the
cause of his melancholy, but Francis, prompted by the
wicked enemy, concealed the temptation under which he
was laboring.
He no longer felt any pleasure in his spu'itual exercises.
Prayer, which had formerly been his delight, was now be-
come a burden ; even the remembrance of the delicious
sweetness and calm wliich he had enjoyed in this delight-
ful exercise, but increased the desolation with which his
Boul was visited. "Never," would he say to himseli,
• See Matt., x, 30, and Luke, xxi, 18-
OF OHAKITY. 139
" never can I hope to see the beauty of God's house, or
drink of thf ^.orrent of its pleasures. Oh I lovely taber-
nacles of the house of my God ! never, never, shall I be-
hold you !"
He remained an entii-e month in this anguish and bit-
terness of heart, which he could compare to nothing but
the pangs of death, and which, as he imagined, far ex-
ceeded anything on earth, that a human being was capable
of enduring. His days were passed in the most bitter
agony, and at night, he watered his bed with his tears.
Having one day entered, by divine inspiration, the church
of St. Stephen, to invoke the mercy of God, he knelt be-
fore an image of the Blessed Virgin, and begged of this
"Comfortress of the afflicted," to bo his advocate with God,
and to obtain for liim the grace, " that if he were so mis-
erable as to be destined to hate God in eternity, he might,
at least, love Him with his whole heart, while he remained
on earth." A prayer, dictated by sentiments so remote
from those of a reprobate, was immediately heard ; the
darkness which had overspread his mmd was dissipated,
and his soul was replenished with light and joy, with hope
and consolation. .
Exercises. — 1. What is Hope? -2. What are these ineffable gifts ?—
3. What is the foundation of our Hope ? — 4. What are its characteris-
tics ? — 5. What vices are opposed to Hope ?— G. Why is despair a most
horrible crime in the sight of God? — 7. How does a person sin by pre-
sumption ? —3. Do we sin against hope in not having due submission to
the dispensations of Providence ? — 9- Should we frequently make acts
of this virtue ?
SECTION III.
Of Chanty.
Charity is a supernatural and theological vhtue, by
which we love God above all things, because He is infinite-
ly good and perfect, and our neighbor as ourselves for
the love of God. Hear what our divine Eedeemer says of
Charity, in his reply to a doctor of the law, who, tempting
him, put the following interrogatory: "Master, which is
the grea-t commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him;
140 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
" Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart,
and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. This
is the greatest and First Commandment. And the second
is like to this : — ^Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
On these two commandments dependeth the whole law
and prophets."* But was it necessary that God should
command us to love Him ? Is He not supremely beauti-
ful ? Do not his infinite perfections, his goodness towards
us, the benefits which He has conferred upon us, the ad-
vantages which we gain by attaching ourselves to Him, —
do they not aU engage us to love Him ? He has created
us, He preserves us, He has made the heavens, the earth,
and all creatm'es, for our use and benefit. But God ha?
done still more for us in the order of salvation. He has
given us his only Son •, He has sacrificed him for our re-
demption ; He has adopted us as his children ; each day,
each moment of our lives. He sustains us by his grace ;
He destines us, after this life, for eternal felicity in the
kingdom of his glory ; how, then, can we refuse Him our
heart ? Must it be proved to a child that he ought to love
his father ? Is not this sentiment natural to man ? Is it
not the spontaneous tendency of the heart ? Does not a
child experience this tenderness of feeling at the remem-
bi'auce of his parent? And is not God our Father? Is
there any one to whom this name is so suitable ? Is there
any one who deserves it better ? Add to all tliis, the sweet-
ness that is enjoyed in the exercise of this holy love. Oh I
with what pure joy, what holy consolation, does it fill the
heart which it has once mflamed ! AU the pleasm'es which
the world can aflFord are nothing, when compared with
that dehcious peace which God bestows on the soul that
loves Him. We should, then, attach ourselves to God ; we
should hasten to give Him our heart before sin renders
it unworthy of being offered to Him. We cannot be
happy but in loving Bim, and the more we love Him, the
more wUl our happiness increase.
Yes ; God alone is our true happiness .The man who
does not love Him is truly miserable, although he may live
• MatU, xxii, 06, o7, 38, 39, H).
OF CHARITY. 141
in the midst of glory, riches, and pleasures ; he always de>
sires something, and is never content. He, on the con-
trary, who loves God, finds in this holy love, consolations
which supply the place of all things else. His desires are
satisfied; his heart is tranquil; nothing can trouble the
calm of his soul : in poverty he is rich ; in humiliation he
is great ; in suffermg he is tilled with consolation. We
should, therefore, love God with our whole heart ; He is
our first beginning, and our last end. God wishes to possess
our whole heart : we must prefer Him to all creatures, and
be disposed to lose all, rather than forfeit his holy grace.
In fine, we should love nothing whatever, but with re-
ference to Him.
A person would sin against this commandment by
placing his sovereign good in anytliing but God ; as, the
ambitious, in honors ; the avaricious, in riches ; the volui3-
tuary, in sensual pleasures.
The love of God ought to be active." If any one love
me," says our Lord, "he will keep my word."" We nat-
urally seek to jilease those whom we love. If we love
God, we shall do his holy will; we will accomplish faithfull}'
all He ordains ; we will malce frequent acts of this virtue,
to prove the sincerity of our affection ; we will also mani-
fest, by our good works, that it exists within us. The love
of God is never idle ; it is a fire wliich continually bm-ns :
if it cease to inflame the heart, we have a proof that it is
extinguished.
But, besides loving God, we must also love our neighbor.
The love of God and the love of our neighbor are insep-
C(.rable : and our Lord Jesus Christ declares that the love
of our neighbor is the distinctive mark of his disciples.
" V>y tliis shall all men know that you are my disciples, if
you have love one for another."! Whoever, therefore,
does not love his neighbor, is not a disciple of Jesus
Christ; he has renounced his Gospel and his promises:
"For he that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how
can he love God, whom he seeth not ? "J In the lirst ages
of the Church, there reigned among the faithful the most
• John, xiv, 23. t John, xiii, 35. 1 1 John, iv, 20.
142 DUTIES OF A CHRISTLAN.
intimate union and the most tender charity : they had but
one heart and one soul. ''See," said the pagans them-
selves, speaking of those faithful followers of Jesus Chi-ist,
"see how they love one another.' ' St. Paul reduces all
our duties towards our neighbor to this single precept 5
and, in realitj% if we truly love our neighlior, we shall be
very far from doing anythmg in his regard, which is for-
bidden by the other commandments: we shall neither
speak mjuriously to him nor of him, nor commit violence
against him ; we shall neither wi'ong nor deceive him ;
but we shall, on every occasion, render Mm all the assist-
ance and service in om* power.
Let us not imagine that by our neighhor we are to un-
derstand those only who are linked to us bj' affinity or
friendship. "If/" says om- Savior, '• you love them that
love you, what ward shall j'ou have ? do not even the
publicans this? And if you salute your brethren onlj'', what
do you more ? do not also the heathens this ? '"* By our
neighbor, then, we are to understand, all men without ex-
ception, because they have all the same Creator, and the
same origin ; because they all comjjose but one family, of
which God is the Father ; because they have been created
for the same end, everlasting felicity ; and because they
have all been redeemed at the same price, the blood of
Jesus Christ, who died for all men. This love must extend
even to ovu* enemies : the precept of Jesus Cluist is formal.
"But I say to jou, love j^om' enemies; do good to them
that hate you ; and jDray for them that persecute and ca-
lumniate you ; that you may be the children of your Father
who is in Keaven, who maketh liis sun to rise upon the good
and the bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust."t
Say not that it is sufficient not to wish evil to those who
hate you, but that, to love them, to be the lirst to propose
areconcihationwiththem, or to render them kindly offices,
is impossible. No ; this is not impossible \vith the help of
God's grace, and God will give his grace to those who ask it.
God commands us to love our enemies, and He never
conunands anything that is. impossible ; but He wishes ua
• Matt., V, 46, 47. t Matt., r, 44, 45.
OF OHAKITT. 143
to do all we can with the help of the grace which He has
given us, and to implore his aid for any further assistance
that may be wanting to us.
We prove our love for oxu- neighbor by exercising tow-
ards him the works of mercy, spiritual and corporal.
The spii'itual works of mercy arej to lead back to the way
of virtue those who have strayed from it, to instruct the
ignorant, to give good counsel, to comfort the afflicted, to
pardon injuries, to bear wi'ongs patiently, and to praj-- for
the living and the dead. The corporal works are; to feed the
hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked,
to redeem captives, to visit the sick and prisoners, to
shelter the harborless, and to bury the dead.
The Apostle St. Paul may be proposed as a perfect
model of love for Jesus Christ, who, having destined hun
for a great work and much suffering, bestowed on him a
great soul, gifted with an unshaken courage, and the most
ardent Charity. ' ' The Charity of Jesus Clirist presseth us, ' '
he says in his. Second Epistle to the Corinthians. And
again, ''Christ died for all, that they also who live, may
not now live to themselves, but to him who died for them
and rose again."* Writing to the Galatians and Eomans,
he speaks as follows : "vl live now, not I, but Christ liveth
inme."t "Who then shall separate us from the love of
Chi'ist ? Shall tribulation ? or distress ? or famine ? or
nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword?
But in all these things we overcome because of him that
loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor powers , nor things present,
nor things to come , nor might, nor height, nor depth, nor
any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Jesus Chi-ist ourLord."t
St. Paulinus bestowed all he possessed on the poor ; and
having no longer anything to give, he sold himself as a
slave, in order to liberate the son of a poor widow who had
asked him for an alms. St. Gregory the Great, who relates
this fact in his Dialogues, says, that St. Paulinus continued
• 2 Cor., T, 14, 15. tGal.,ii, 20 t Rom., viii, 35, 37,38, 39.
144 DUTIES OF A OHRJSTIAJJ.
to labor in the capacity of a slave, until his master, having
discovered his extraordinary merit, generously granted
him his hberty. — Godescakd.
ExERCiSKS. — 1. What is Charity? — 2. A'-'hat words of our Lord show
the importance of Charity ? — 3. Vi"hat are the principal motives that
should incite us to love 'Jod '? — 4. How may it be shown that God alone
constitutes the happiness of man? — 5. IIcw sho;:Id we love God? —
G. AMiat is the most evident proof that we love God ?— 7. On what words
of Holy Writ is founded the obligation of loving our neighbor ?— 8. What
are our duties towards our neighbor? — 9 Who is our neighbor?—
10. Must we love our enemies ?—■!]. What are the spiritual and corporal
works of mercy ?
SECTION IV.
Of Adoration.
Adoration is the fora'th duty required by the Fu-st Com-
mandment. It consists in rendering to God the homage
and worship which are due to Him as sovereign Lord and
Master of all things. It is a profound humiliation, or, as
it were, an annihilation of the soul before the supreme
Majesty of God ; before Him who, \vith a single word,
created the heavens and the earth ; in whose sight the
nations melt as wax, and the mountains bend mth revei'-
ence ; that God who sends the lightning and tempests as
ministers of his vengeance, and who chains them up again
when He is pleased to exercise his mercy. At the sight of
the greatness of God, the adoring soul is humbled, con-
founded, and, in a manner, annihilated, before his divine
Majesty; she offers t:ie humble acknowledgment of her de-
l^endence and servitude ; she praises and glorifies liis holy
name, and renders grateful thanks for the favore she has
received from Him; she humbly implores the succors
which she needs, and which she expects from his goodness
alone ; she offers and consecrates herself to Him, without
reserve, to accomphsh in all tilings his holy will.
These iwter'or sentiments are manifested by correspond-
ing exterior actions ; such as, genuflections, prostrations,
prayers, thanksgi^Tngs, and, above all, by the Sacrifice of
the Mass, which, of all the acts of adoration, is the most ex-
OF ADORATION. 145
cellent and august. We ought, then, to render God every-
day, and particularly in the morning and at night, the trib-
ute of praise and adoration wliich lie demands of us. By
tliis exercise of religion we should begin and end the day,
and be careful never to fuiil in .so unportant and essential n
duty. Our first thought, the fhst motion of our hoart,
ouglit to be directed to Him who has created us, who pre
servos us, and who daily loads us with new benefits. Uui
first action should he to prostrate ourselves before his
sovereign Majesty, to adore Him, to thank Him for hi.-^
beneiits, to consecrate ourselves to his service, and to pe-
tition Him for the graces wliich are necessary for us. Be-
fore and after meals we should adore this tender Father,
who opens his bencticent hand, and fills his children with
benediction : and no false shame should ever prevent us
from acquitting ourselves of this duty. Should a cliild
blush to testify his gratitude to a parent every time he
receives new pledges of liis tenderness ? At the close of
the day, we should renew the homage we rendered to God
in the morning, humble ourselves ui his presence for the
faults we have committed dm^uig the day, beg pardon for
them, and thank Him for the graces with which He has
favored us. We should remember, however, that the for-
mulas of prayers, and other exterior practices of piety, are
but the body of religion ; the interior feeling of adoration
is its soul. Without this disposition of the heart, our
words and exterior actions wouM not, be agreeable to God ;
they would draw down upon us the reproach which He
formerly made to the Jews : " Tlais people honoreth Me
with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." '
Adoration can be paid only to Goil. We honor and
venerate the saints, as God's special friends and faithful
servants ; but we never adorn them, nor give them that
supreme worship which is due to God alone. It is good
and useful to invoke them, that we may obtain of God,
through their intercession, the graces of which we stand in
need ; but it is only of God we ask them, in the name of
Jesus Christ, their Saviour and ours, who alone has merited
• Matthew, xv, 8.
1 46 DxrriBS of a osristian.
them for us by his sufferings and death. "Blessed," says
St. Paul, " be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ."* We also honor their relics, because
they .are the precious remains of a body which was the
temple of the Holy Ghost, and which shall, at the last day,
rise glorious and immortal, and be forever honored in
Heaven; and in this we but follow the usage of all ages.
We honor, likewise, their pictures and images, but this
honor is referred to the object which they represent ; nor
do we acknowledge in these images and pictures any other
vhtue, than that of serving to recall the remembrance of
those whom they represent. In placing ourselves on our
knees before an image of Jesus Christ, of the Blessed
Virgin, or of the saints, it is not the image, it is Jesus
Chi'ist himself we adore ; it is not the image we honor,
but him or her, the remembrance of whose virtue it recalls.
The use of images and pictures is productive of great
advantages. They remind us of the virtues of the saints,
their combats and victories, and the glory wliich they now
enjoy in Heaven.
The sins opposite to the adoration due to God, are idol-
atnjy snpei'stiiion, and irreverence. Idolatry consists in
giving to creatures the worsliip due to God alone. This was
the crime of the pagans, who rendered divine honors to
manimate creatures, and even to the works of their own
hands. Such gross idolatry exists no longer amongst us,
but irreligion and impiety have taken its place. There are
foolish men who make divinities, as it were, of their vices,
and whose pride, love of riches and jileasures, impurity,
gluttony, &G., become the objects of their idolatry. How
abominable in the sight of God is that sacrilegious worship
which is given to those passions which, in a depraved
heart, usurp the place of the divinity 1
Superstition is committed when we use, in the divine
worship, practices which the Church does not sanction, or
place confidence in certain words or actions which it dis-
approves, and from which we expect to obtain particular
* Epbeaians, i, 3.
OF ADORATION. 14T
effects, such as the knowledge of things hidden or to come ;
also, when we observe omens, and what are called lucky
and unlucky days. All these, and such like superstitions,
are calculated to draw down on those who commit them,
the malediction of the Almighty.
The sin of irreverence is committed by profaning
chui'ches, relics, or holy things, and still more by a sacri-
legious reception of tlie sacraments. It is a sacrilege to
steal any sacred tiling, to steal in a church, to strike a per-
son consecrated to God, &g.
Constantius Ghlorus, a wise and humane prince, esteemed
and protected the Christian religion. For some time, how-
ever, k'lving concealed liis real dispositions, he publicly
declared that all Chiistians who held offices in his court,
should offer sacrifice to Jupiter, and to the other pagan
divinities, if they desired to retain their situations and his
favor. Some, preferring temporal advantages to their
eternal interests, immediately complied with the condition,
little imagining that the prince merely intended to make
trial of their virtue and fidelity. No sooner had they sa-
crificed, than he, indignant at their base apostacy, banished
them contemptuously from liis presence. One of his
courtiei's, greatly astonished, begged an explanation, to
whom the emperor wisely replied: "]\Icn who sacrifice re-
ligion to worldly interests, are capable of infidelity to every
obligation. Could I expect that those men whose disgrace
has excited your surprise, would have proved faithful to
me, after having acted so xm.faithfully to their God ?'' Not
content with punishing and humbling these apostates, he
felt it a duty to reward those who had generously adhered
to their religion, regardless of consequences ; he kept
them continually about his person, and reposed in them
the most unlimited confidence.
The Emperor Constantine Copronjrmus raised a violent
persecution against Catholics on account of the honor they
paid to holy images. A pious and learned soUtary, named
Stephen, being brought before him, charged with this pre-
tended crime, the emperor asked him if he stUl persisted
in his idolatry, for such he designated the honor which
148 DPTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
Catholics give to images. •' 'Wlieiu is tlie man so ignorant."
replied the saint, " as to woi'ship stones, gold, or silver,
because they are made to represent Jesus Christ oi- his
saints ? Surely, it is well knovvni that the honor we pay
these representations is purely relative.'" Then, producing
a piece of money, he turned to those near him, and asked,
would they not. deem him worthy of punishment who
should cast this coin on the ground, and trample under
foot the image of their emperor. "Doubtless," they
answered, ''the insult ought to be punished." "Oh,
then," rejoined the holy man, "how blind you must be 1
You would punish him with death, who should trample on
the unage of an earthly prince, a mortal man, and yet
you would dare to trample on the miage of the King of
kings ! "
EXEECI3E3. —1. Have we other duties to fulfil towards God than thost
prescribed by the theolosical virtues '1—2. la what dies adoration
consist? — 3- V\'ith what sentiments should tbo greatness of God
inspire us ?— 4- How arc these interior sentiments manifested exteriorly?
—5. When ought we to render God our tribute of praise and adoration ?
— G. Do we adore tbo saints? — 7. Whom do we honor when wo kneel
before the images of Christ, the Blessed Virgin and tho saints ? —
S. What is the utility of images ? — 9. What gins are opposed to tlie
adoration duo to God ? — 10. In what does idolatry consist ?— 11. When
are we guilty of superstition ?— 12. How do we sin by irreverence ?
SECTION V.
Of the Respect due to the House of God.
The Church is the house of God ; He fills it with his pre-
sence and his glorj'. This is the place in which He parti-
cularly lesides, and which is specially consecrated to his
worsliip. Here the foithful assemble to pray, to sing his
praises, and to celebrate the holy mysteries. Here, too,
our Lord Jesus Chiist dwells corporally, and offers liimself
a Victim for us to liis heavenly Father. Need anythmg
further be said to impress us with the most profound
respect and the most religious veneration ? Ought we not
{o enter this holy place wlih a respectful fear, saying with
ihi'. Patriai'ch Jacob, " How terrible is this place I Tliis^s no
RESPECT DUE TO THE HOUSE OF GOD. 145
Other than the house of God, and the gate of Heaven ! "*
Yes ; the temple of God is a new Heaven, in which Ha
dwells with men. He who resides in this august taber-
nacle, is the same God that the blessed adore in Heaven.
We ought, nice them, to be annihilated, as it were, in mind
and heart, before the divine Majesty, who, though veiled
in our temples, is not the less entitled to our adorations.
How, then, dare we enter them without respect ? How dare
we remain in them with so little recollection or modesty,
and sometimes even with the most scandalous dissipation ?
Everything in this holy place reminds us of the benefits
of God: — that sacred font at which we received, together
with the life of grace, the mestimable right to a heavenly
inheritance ; those tribunals of reconciliation in which we
have been so frequently purified from our sms and healed
of our spiritual maladies; that cross on wliich our Re-
deemer died to save us ; that altar on which he daily im-
molates himself, to apply to our soul the fruits of his
sufferings and death. Here, too, we have participated of
the table of the Lord in the holy Communion, and received
the unction of the Holy Ghost in Confirmation. Ought
not objects so touching fill our mind with holy thoughts,
and our heart with pious sentiments ? and should they
not render our visits to this holy place more fi-equent?
How is it that we frequently go thither with repugnance,
remain there with disgust, and occupy ourselves while we
stay with vain, not to say criminal, thoughts ? Do not so
many monuments of God's goodness speak feelingly to our
heart? What an outrage to respond to so much love^
with so reprehensible an indifference 1
Such is the respect which the Turks have for their
mosques, that they never pass by them without paying
them some mark of reverence. A man on horseback who
should pass without alighting, would subject himself to
severe chastisement. They enter them barefooted, and with
the hands joined in profound recollection ; so attentive
ire they while they stay, that they seem more like piou-s
• Genesis, xxviii, 17.
150 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
Christians than infidels. They doveral times, bow down thei*
heads to the ground, in token of their humiliation in the
presence of the Deity. During the whole time they con-
tinue in prayer, they are never observed to look about
them. To speak in the mosque is a crime : and it is a
thing unheard-of to see two Turks exchange a word at
tune of prayer. Should one of them be spoken to at this
time, he would not utter the least answer ; and should he
be struck, or otherwise ill-treated, he Avould not even look
around to see who had done him the injury. Wliat confu-
sion shall not these infidels one day cause to those irreg-
ular Christians, who pray for wilh so liiile attention and
reverence ! Even the most regular amongst us may learn
a salutary lesson from Iheir example. — Des Voyages.
Exercises.—]. 'WTiat motives should impress us with a profound
respect for the House of God ?— 2. With what sentiments should we bo
animated on entering this holy plaec ?— 3. With what should the sacred
font, the tribunal of reconciliation, the cross, the altar, &c., inspire us?
CHAPTER m.
Of the Second Commandment.
" THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY
GOD IN VAIN."
The Second Commandment enjoins the duty of speak-
ing with reverence of God and all holy things, and of keep-
ing our lawful oaths and vow\?. It forbids all sweaiing in-
jurious to God or his saints. It is as if the Lord would say:
"Reverence my name; do not profane it, by using it to
authorize lies or injustice, or, without a sufficient cause,
even truth itself." To swear is to invoke God or his saints
to witness the truth of what we assert, or to witness the
promise which we make.
Swearing is an act of religion or a sin, according as the
circumstances and dispositions whicn accompany i are
good or evil. To he an act of religion, an oath must . ave
three conditions, viz., truth, justice, and judgment, accord-
ing to these words of the Prophet Jeremias. ' Thou shalt
SECOND COMAIANDMiSNT. 151
swear : As the Lord liveth, in truth, and in judgment, and
in justice."* If the oath wants <rw^A, it is a /a?.s-e oath, a
perjury ; if it wants jus^/ce, it is an unjust oath ; if it, wants
judgment, that is, if it is taken with levity, or without suflfi
cient necessity, it is a rash oath. A rash oath, though it
may have truth and justice, is a sin ; and it may become
considerable by accompanying circumstances, or on ac-
count of the scandal it may occasion. Besides, such as
have the custom of swearing rashly, are daily exposed to
the danger of perjury : "Let not thy mouth be accustomed
to swearing, for in it there are many falls."t An oath
should be taken for a just cause only, and never through
passion.
Unjust and false oaths are grievous sins, and become
more or less heinous, in proportion to the malice of the
swearer, and to the scandal which they occasion.
A. ijromissory oath is that which a person takes in order
to render more certain the execution of what lie promises.
He who takes sucli an oath without having the intention
to do what he promises, sins grievously, and becomes
guilty of perjury. As to the performance of what is thus
promised, there are two cases m wliich the oath does not
oblige : fii'st, when the thing is bad or forbidden ; for God
will never require the execution of what is sinful ; second-
ly, when the thing wliich was possible when the oath was
taken, has become impossible. When an oath is extorted
through violence, to perform a lawful thing, — for example,
if, through fear of injuries threatened by a robber, you
promise on oath to send him what he demands, — you are
bound to fulfil your promise ; because, although the robber
extorted the promise unjustly, there is nothing unlawful
in its fulfilment. However, you may go to the Bishop for
a relaxation of the oath, and then you will be no longer
bound by the promise which had been extorted by threats.
There are three kinds of words that have reference to
swearing — hlasphc7ny, imj^recations, and disguised oaths.
Blasphemy is a word or discourse injmious to God, to his
saints, or to religion. It would be blasphemy against God
• Jeremias, \y, 2, xxiii, a.
to attribute to Him defects, or to charge Him with partiaU-
ty, severity, injustice, &c. ; to deny any of his perfections,
such as the care He takes of his creatures ; to speak with
contempt of his divine attributes, or to add to his adorable
name terms which would dishonor it. It would be blas-
phemy against the saints to mock them, attribute defects
to them, or censure the respect with which the Church
honors them. It would be blasphemy against religion, to
tm'n it into derision, to blame its practices, or to speak evil
of the Scriptures. There are also blasphemies of the mind
and heart ; such as thoughts and desires contrary to the
divine perfections, or to tilings which concern religion. Of
this kind is the blasphemy of the impious, who say La their
heart, " There is no God."* This is a horrible sin, and one
which merits the most di'eadful punishments. Blasphemers
are not now, as in former times, stoned, nor are their
tongues cut out; but let them not trimnph; the time of
punishment will soon arrive, and then they shall receive
the chastisement due to their crimes.
Imprecations are words by which, in promising, denying,
or aflSrming, something, we wish evil to others or to om*-
selves, such as death, damnation, &c. Disguised oaths are
of two kinds: first, the oaths themselves, with some
change in the tei'ms in which they are expressed ; second-
ly, words which do not precisely express an oath, and yet
have reference, in some manner, thereto. Christians ought
not to express themselves thus, nor permit themselves
habitually to use such words.
By swearing we afiii'in or promise something to men by
mterposing the name of God ; there are also promises to
God himself, of things that are agreeable to Him. A prom-
ise of this kind is called a vow.
A vow is a dehberate and voluntary promise made to
God, of doing something that is good or more agreeable
to God, or abstaining from something that is bad or less
pleasing to God, and made for his honor and glory. He
who, in this manner, promises to make a pUgrimage, to
* Psalm lii, 1
SBOOm) OOMMANDKKNT. 153
give certain alms, to avoid a certain sin or the occasion of
it, <fec., makes a vow.
A vow is more than a simple resolution. By a vow a
person obliges himself to God to do the thing promised,
under pain of sia. The obhgation of executing such prom-
ises extends to the cu'cumstances promised, the place,
time, &G. The Church can dispense with the obligation of
performing wLiat one has promised by vow ; but she does
not, and cannot do so without serious reasons.
A boy who had been trained up with much care by
virtuous masters, gave, on one occasion, a very touching
proof of liis faith. Having returned somewhat later than
usual from school, his father, exceedmgly angry, repre-
hended him sharply, and swore by the most holy name of
God. The poor child, afiiicted at being tlie occasion ol
this profanation, and of his father's anger, flung himself at
his feet, and cried out, "0 father, beat me, but do not
swear !" The father, seeing the horror which his impiety
had excited in the cliild, was sensibly affected, and so
much did he profit by the lesson it had taught him, that
he never afterwards blasphemed or swore profanely. If
Clnistian children 'ivere but good and pious, what a num-
ber of sins might they not prevent then- parents from com-
mitting ! — EssAi suR LE Blaspheme.
Exercises.— 1- What does the Second Commandment enjoin and for-
bid?—2. What is swearing?— 3- How many conditions must an oath
have to malio it an act of religion?— 4- What is a false oath?— 5. An
unjust oath ? — 6. A ras-A oath ? — 7. A promissory oath ? — 8. In what cases
does the oath not oblige) as to the performance of what is thus promis-
ed ?— 0- A^'o we obliged to keep an oath extorted through violence ?—
10. What is blasphemy, and name some cases, in whish we may be
guilty thereof?— 11. What do you mean by blasphemies of the mind and
heart?— 12. What are imprecations ?— 13. How many kinds of disguised
oaths are there ? — 14. What is a vow ? — 15. What is the diflerence
between a resolution and a vow ?— 16. To what does a person oblige
himself by a vow ?— 17. To whom is reserved the power of dispensing
with the obligation of a vow ?
154 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
CHAPTER IV.
Of the Third Commandment.
" REiMEMBER THAT THOU KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH DAY."
Every day belongs to the Lord ; there is not one which
should not be referred to his glory ; but, as the necessities
of this life prevent us from occupying ourselves continual-
ly in religious exercises, God has reserved to himself one
day in each week, which He ordains to be employed in his
worship and service. This precept is as ancient as the
world. God, after having created the universe, consecrated
this day, in order that men should celebrate the memory
of the creation, and of that mysterious rest into wliich He en-
tered, after having finished this great work. The day where-
on God rested was, in the Old Law, the seventh, and was
called the Sabbath, or day of rest ; but in the New Law, it
is the first day of the week, and is called Sunday, or the
Lord's day. Sunday has been substituted for Saturday,
from the time of the Aj)Ostles, and by divine inspii-ation,
in memory of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ ;
because on that day, after the labors of his mortal life, he
entered into his eternal repose. It is destined to honor
the Lord, the conqueror of death, by whom we have been
all redeemed.
'' Six days shalt thou labor, and shalt do all thy works :
but on the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy
God : thou shalt do no work on it, thou, nor thy son, nor
thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant,
nor thy beast, nor the stranger that is within thy gate."*
The Jews observed the Sabbath so religiously that they
prejDared on the eve, the food that was necessary for the
Sabbath day. The law of the Gospel is less rigorous ; it
permits the works wliich charity or necessity may demand ;
as, also, those which are called liberal ; namely, reading,
writing, di-awing, &c. ; but it does not permit servile
woiks, that is, such labors as people usually occupy them
KolvP!* with to gain a livelihood: nor those which would
• Exodus, XX, 9, 10-
THIRD COMMANDMENT. 155
uiterfere with the service of God. It would, then, be a
great evil to occupy this holy day in servile works, unless
they were absolutely required by the divine service, the
public necessity, or the indispensable wants of life.
It is sinful, also, to share in criminal amusements ; for
this would be to profane, not to sanctify, the Sunday. Of
all works, what can be more contrary to the sanctiiication
of this day, than those of sin, wdiich rendei- us slaves
of the devil ? Does not sin, which is always a great evil,
appear to possess a new degree of enormity, when com-
mitted on this day ? Does not such conduct betray a great
forgetfulness of God, and a great contempt of his holy law?
It is not sufficient to abstain from servile and criminal
works ; we must also employ the Sunday in the service of
God, and in works of piety and religion ; tliis is the essen-
tial end of the precept. If God commands us to interrupt
our ordinary labors, it is, that nothing may interfere with
our ai^plication to his service. Would God be honored by
a repose of idleness ? Would we sanctify this day by pass-
ing it in gambling or in feasting ? No, undoubtedly. The
works which sanctify the Sunday are; assisting at the
divine offices, public instructions, pious reading, and, in
general, all good works, which have for their object the
worship of God, our own sanctification, and the advantage
of our neighbor. It is true, that God does not forbid us
innocent and moderate recreation. This is necessary for
us, antl we may safely take it, but never to the prejudice
of piety ; nor should the time of recreation be taken from
that which is destined for prayer, for praising of God, or our
own instruction Would it be sanctifying this day to give
but a small portion of it to God ? The Church, indeed,
prescribes the hearing of Mass as the principal work of
piety, by which this day is to be sanctified ; but the public
prayers and instructions, appointed for different hours in
the day, show us clearly that her wish is, that we assist at
them.
156 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN..
In the Old Law, the profaners of the Sabba.h were
punished with death. God not only ordered that the man
who was found gathering a few sticks on the Sabbath day.
should be stoned ; but He expressly said to Moses: " Speak
to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them : See
that thou keep my Sabbath ; because it is a sign between
]Me and you in your generations •, that you may know that
I am the Lord, who sanctify you. Keep you my Sabbath,
for it is holy unto you : he that shall profane it, shall be
put to death : he that shall do any work on it, his soul
shall perish out of the midst of his people. Six days shall
you do work ; on the seventh day is the Sabbath, the rest
holy to the Lord. Every one that shall do any work on
this day, shall die."*
A missionary Priest, who resided in one of the Mariar
Islands, was, on a Sunday, passing along the sea-shore, on
his way to visit a sick person. He saw some Indians,
whom he loiew to be Chiistians, employed mending their
barks. He asked them if they had not all the other days
of the week to do such work ; and what could induce them
to transgress the divine precept which ordains, that the
Lord's day should be kept holy, by abstaining from all
servile work, and employing it in works of Christian piety.
They replied in a smiy and disrespectful manner, that
they did so because it was their wish. The ]\Iissionary
pursued his jom-ney, and, having visited the sick person.
he repassed the same way, and found the barks, and the
house in which the Indians had been at work, burnt to
ashes. The poor people, who had been so indiflerent to
his charitable remonstrance, instructed by the calamity
which had befallen them, were covered with confusion, and
gave evident marks of their sincere regret for the sLa and
folly of which they had been guilty. — Lettres Edifiantes.
ExEECisKS. — 1. What day of the week has God reserved to himself?
—2. Why has He consecrated this day ?— 3. Is this i)recept very ancient ?
— 4- Why was the Sabbath of the Old Law superseded by the Sunday of
the ^'ew ? —5. Tell us how religiously the Jews observed the S»bbath.
— 6. How should we observe Sunday ? — 7. What works does the law
• Eaodus, xxzi, 13, U, 15.
FODRTH COMMANDMENT. 157
of the Gospel i>ermit and prohibit on the Lord's day? — 8. Does the
^anctification of Sunday consist in abstaining from servile and criminal
works ?
GH AFTER V.
Of ihe Fourth Commandment.
' HONOR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER."
God, by the Fourth Commandiaent, prescribes the dutiea
of inferiors towards their superiors, and of superiors tow-
ards their inferiors ; for, by the name father and mother,
must be understood, all those who have any authority or
right to command us. Children have four principal duties
to fulfil towards their parents : they ought to respect, love,
obey, and assist them in all their necessities.
The first duty of children to their parents is respect, an
inviolable respect, at all times, and on all occasions. This
respect consists in receiving, with docility, their advice
and correction, in speaking to them, always, with submis-
sion, in giving them no cause of displeasure, and in con-
cealing or excusing their faults and imperfections. " Honor
thy father and thy mother, that thou mayest be long-lived
upon the land, which the Lord thy God will give thee."*
" Honor thy father and thy mother, which," says St. Paul,
"is the fii'st commandment with a promise."! A father
and mother are, in regard to their children,' the repre-
sentatives of God ; they hold his place ; they are the de-
positaries of his authority. To fail in respect towards
them, is to fail in respect towards God himself: the injury
done to them is offered to Him whom they represent.
Hence, in the Old Law, if a child so far failed in respect
for his parents as to curse them, he was punished with the
utmost severity. '-He that curseth his father or mother,
dying let him die : he hath cursed his father and mother,
let his blood be upon him."| Besides the general prom-
ise of a long and happy life annexed to the Fourth Com-
mandment, the Scripture contains many other promises of
• Exod., XX, 12. t Ephes, vi, 2- tLev,, xx, 9.
158 DUTIES OF A OHRISTUW.
particular blessings annexed to this duty . •' He that
honoreth his mother is as one that layeth up a treasure
He that honoreth his father shall have joy in his oion
children ; and in the day of his pi'ayer he shall be heard."*
The second duty of children is to love their parents. . Is
it necessary to prove this obligation ? Does it not suffice
to remind any child, with ordinary feelings, of his many
obligations to his parents ? They have given him life ;
since his birth they have taken care of him ; during his
infancy, when he stood in need of unceasing attention,
they were almost solely occupied with him ; and how dis-
agreeable soever the attentions were which he then re-
quired, they afforded them with joy. Wliat pains do not
a father and mother take, and what labors do they not
undergo, to procure for their child what his wants require !
He who, after such services, does not love his parents, can
hardly be regarded as a Christian, or even as a human
being — he is a monster in human form 1
The third duty of children towards their parents is obe-
dience. "Children," says St. Paul, "obey your parents
in the Lord, for this is just."t A child that obeys his
parents cheerfully, proves that he loves and respects them
sincerely ; but he who disobeys them, or obeys them with
reluctance, shows that he has for them neither the love
nor the respect to wliich they are entitled.
The fourth duty of children towards their parents is to
assist them in their necessities, such as sickness, old age,
or poverty. On all these occasions, a child is bound to
assist his parents as much as is in his power. Whoever
possesses the ordinary feelings of humanity, will be sen-
sible of this obligation ; and surely, there can be no greater
happiness than to give back to a father and mother a part,
at least, of that which we have received from them. To
fail in this duty would be monstrous ingratitude, and
would prove that the very sentiments of nature were
stilled within us. The Scripture expresses itself in very
strong terms against those who are guilty of this crime.
" Of what an evil fame is he that forsaketh his father ; and
*£ocifi', iii, 5, t). t Epbes., vi, 1.
« u UltTH 00>IMA:<f DMENT. 1 59
be is cursed of God that angereth his mother,"* by refus-
ing to take care of her. " He that afflicteth his father, and
cliaseth away his mother, is infamous and unhappy."!
'• Supi^ort," says Ecclesiasticus, " the old age of thy father,
aud grieve him not in his life; and if his understanding
fail, have patience with him, and despise him not when
thou art in thy strength ; for the relieving of the father
shall not be forgotten. For good shall be repaid to thee
for the sin of thy mother. And in justice thou shalt be
built up, and in the day of affliction thou shalt be remem-
bered ; and thy sins shall melt away as the ice in the fair
warm weather, "t
If a child ought to assist his parents in their temporal
wants, with much more reason ought he to procure for
them those spiritual succors of which they have need, par-
ticularly in their old age and last sickness. Several parents
have been indebted for their eternal salvation to the at-
tention of their children, in procuring for them the last
sacraments before their death. Children ought also, after
the decease of their parents, to execute faithfully their
last will, pray fervently for them, and cause pi'ayers and
Masses to be offered for their eternal repose.
Fathers and mothers owe four things to their children ;
namely, maintenance, instruction, correction, and good
example. They ought to maintain and clothe their
children, and train them up in a manner befitting their con-
dition. They should have them taught some useful ti-ade,
or procure for them a profession or an employment, by
which, m after-life, they may obtain a suitable livelihood.
It is also their duty to teach them, or have them taught,
the principal mysteries of religion, the Commandments of
God, and the Precepts of the Church, and the prayers they
ought daUy to recite. When their children are about to
engage in a state of Ufe, parents ought to consult God by
prayer, and should examine well whether the state which
their children are about to embrace, is that to which they
are caUed. They should also instruct them on the nature
of its obligations.
• Ecclus^ iii. 18. t ProT., xix, 26. J Eodus., iii, 14, 15, 16, 17.
160 DUTIBS OF A CHRISTIAN.
Parents are obliged to correct their children, that is, to
reprehend them when they have committed a fault ; but
they should be careful to do so with meekness and charity,
not with anger and passion.
They should also watch over their own conduct, and give
good example to their cliildren. They should be careful
neither to do nor to say, in the presence of their children,
anything that is reprehensible, or that cannot lawfully be
imitated. Oh ! how many are damned for having given bad
example to their children, or for having neglected to train
them up in a Christian manner !
To this commandment is also referred what St. Paul
addressed to the Romans : " Let every soul be subject to
higher powers ; for there is no power but from God j and
those that are, are ordained of God. Therefore he that
resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. And
they that resist, purchase to themselves damnation. For
princes are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil ....
For he is God's minister to thee, for good. -But if thou do
that which is evil, fear ; for he beareth not the sword in
vain Wherefore be subject of necessity, not only for
wrath, but also for conscience' sake. Render, therefore,
to all men their dues; — tribute to whom tribute is due;
custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor
to whom honor."* There is, therefore, an absolute
obligation to obey the laws in everything that is not con-
trary to the divme precepts : thus the Apostles and primi-
tive Christians acted, although they lived under cruel and
idolatrous jirinces, who inhumanly put to death a count-
less multitude of martyrs. The Prince of the Apostles
ordains, that we be submissive not only to sovereigns, but
also to magistrates, who are their representatives.!
This commandment requires also, that the faithful be
submissive to their ecclesiastical superiors. The Pope ii
the vicar of Jesus Christ ; the diocesan Bishop is the suo
cesser of the Apostles; a parish Priest is the spii-itual
father of his parishioners ; a confessor is their visible angel,
to conduct to Heaven, those who confide in him ; every
• Rom., xiii, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7. f 1 Pet, ii, 13, 14.
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 161
Catholic Priest is the ministoi- of Jesus Christ, for tire ad-
ministration of the sacraments and remission of sins. We
should testify to them, on every occasion, the love, respect,
and obedience, which they merit, on account of the sacrea
character with which they are invested, and the functions
which they are apjDointed to exercise on the part of God.
To all the ministers of his Church, Jesus Christ says:
•'lie that lieareth you, heareth me, and he that despiseth
you, despiseth nie. And he that despiseth me, despiseth
Ilim that sent me."*
Masters who are charged with the education of children,
hold the first rank after parents. Their function is
to teach their pupils the knowledge of religion and hu-
man science, to watch over their conduct, and to form
their hearts to virtue. They are bound to entertain for
their pupils the affection of a father, and to fuliil Ms du-
ties towards them.
Pupils ought, on their part, to entertain for their
masters, respect, love, docility, and submission. A master
consecrates liis time, studies, and health, to educate his
scholars in secular and religious knowledge ; for them he
sacriiices his liberty, reduces himself to a species of servi-
tude, and supports with patience the weariness and disgust
o£ incessantly repeating the same things. What a title to
their gratitude does he not acquu'e by so many sacriiices,
and by procuring for them so many inestimable advantages !
The advices which he gives are necessary to teach them
how to avoi I the dangers to which their passions expose
them: they are salutary curbs which arrest them, and
prevent them from falling into the dire abyss which yawns
beneath their feet. Nor will the reprimands which he is
obUged somctiiiV3s to give, weaken their affection for him,
if they aro not unreasonable. When he reprimands them,
it is through zeal for their improvement, wliich, had he
loved them less, would not have given him so much con-
cern. He never uses severity but with regret, and his own
feelings are wounded by the reproofs which he is obUged
to give.
* Luke, z, 16.
162 DtmE3 OP A CHRISTIAN.
We jften see persons who, in their youth, had oppor-
tunities of being well educated, but to whom these oppor-
timities proved fruitless. They have grown up incapable
of discharging the duties of their situations, and by reason
of their ignorance, they daily fall into numberless mis-
takes. Should you wish to know whence this disorder
proceeds, ask those who have always known them . They
will tell you: "These persons were idlers, who never sub-
mitted to restramt or authority ; they rejected advice, and
spurned reprehension-, they disi'egarded their masters,
exposed their least defect, took a malicious pleasure in
speaking to their disadvantage, and in prepossessing others
against them : therefore are they ignorant of what it most
concerns fhem to know; they are full of defects, are use-
less— despicable. In a word, because in their j'outh they
wore indocile and disobedient, they are, in manhood,
ignorant and irreligious." Young persons are not suffi-
ciently sensible of their obligations to their instructors,
nor of the importance of the services which they render
them , but they shall one day know the value of a good
education, and understand how much they are indebted
to those who have been the instrwments of so great a
blessing. The advantages of a good education cannot be
suflBciently appreciated ; we shall enjoy them during the
whole period of our life. Our gratitude for them should,
therefore, have no other limits.
A French gentleman \y is arrested at Lyons for some
supposed crime, and was thence sent to Paris. His daugh-
ter never quitted him. She asked permission to accom-
pany him in the vehicle wheicin he was to travel, but this
was refused her. Although naturally of a delicate frame,
she ti'avelled all the way on foot, a distance of more th.\n
a himdred leagues, keeping up aU along with the prison-
van, of which she lost sight only when she went to prepare
food for him in the towns through which they passed, and
when she went to beg the loan of a blanket, that he might
rest with more ease in the prison, to which, for the night,
he was consigned. She ceased not for a moment to follow
FIPTH COMMANDMENT. 163
liim and to provide for his wants until their arrival in
Paris, where she was prohibited to wait on him. Accas-
tomed to soften the severity of his gaolers, this affec-
tionate daughter was not disheartened, nor did she despair
of overcoming even the malignity of his persecutors ; and
after three months of reiterated prayers and solicitations,
she had the happiness of obtaining his release, and of again
embracing the author of her existence, to whose interests
she had so heroically devoted herself. — Carron.
Exercises.— l.What does God prescribe by tbe Fourth Commandment?
— 2. Who are comprised under the name Jather and mother? — 3. What
are the Ibur principal duties of children towards their parents ? —
4. In what docs the respect due to parents consists? — I. Besides
the general promise of a long and happy life, what other prom-
ises of particular blessings to respectful children, does Scripture
contain ?— G. What are the motives that oblicie children to love their
parents ? — 7. How may we qiialify a child who does not lovo his
parents after such services ? — 8. AVhat is the third duty of childreo
towards their parents, and what do they prove by cheerfully obeyini
them ?— 9. How do children fullil the fourth duty towards their parents \
— 10. Should a child assist his parents in their temporal wants only ?—
11. What four things do parents owe their children ?— 12. Is it obligatory
to obey the laws of our country ? — 13- On what passages of Scripture is
this founded ?— 14- Whom must we obey in the Church ? — 15. On what
is this submission founded ? — 16. What are the duties of masters
towards their pupils ? — 17. What ought pupils to entertain for their
masters? — 18. What are the fatal consequences of neglecting to prolit
by the education we receive ?— 19. What gratitude should pupils cherish
towards their masters ?
CHAPTER VI.
Of the Fifth Commandment.
" THOU SHALT NOT KILL.
God, by the Fifth Commandment, forbids to take away, by
private authority, the life of a fellow-creature . He also
forbids us by it to take away our own. This crime is an
outrage against the sovereign power of God ; for He is the
absolute Master of the life of man : to Him alone it be-
longs to take it away, as it is He alone can give it. It is
the highest act of injustice that can be committed against
man, as it robs him of that which he holds most dear. A
164 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
person is guilty of murder, not only when he himself com-
mits the act, but also when, by command or counsel, he
causes it to be committed, or when he assists in its perpe-
tration.
The law of God does not confine itself to merely for-
bidding murder ; it also forbids anger, contempt of our
neighbor, injuries, and violence. Jesus Christ himself has
given this extent to the precept, commanding us to stifle
in our heart every motion of anger and desire of revenge,
and interdicting all then- effects, such as, iojurious words
and evil treatment, because they are all in themselves a
kind of murder, and may lead to its commission, if not
quickly repressed : therefore, St. John declares, that " who-
soever hateth his brother is a murderer."* What other idea
can we form of those who propose or accept a challenge to
a duel, than that they are grievously criminal m the sight of
God I What insane wickedness to imbrue one's hands in a
brother's blood for a slight insult, a trifling raillery, a mere
word; and to sacrifice to a false point of honor one's
own eternal salvation and that of his neighbor I The
Greeks and Romans, although pagans, were sti-angers to
this barbarous custom. They were passionate for glory;
but they well knew in what true glory consists : they made
it consist in shedding their blood for the good of their
country ; and they drew their swords against the enemies
of the state, not against their fellow-citizens. Duelling is,
then, a crime, as contrary to humanity as to Christianity,
as opposed to reason as to religion.
It is no less a crime to take away one's own life. Life is
a deposit which God has confided to us, and which He
commands us to preserve until He again requires it. To
dispose of it without his order, or conti'ary to liis prohibi-
tion, would be to usm-p the rights of God, who is the sole
arbiter of life and death. This crime is so much the more
horrible, as it is irremediable ; there is no opportunity left
for repentance ; its perpetrator jjrecipitates himself hre-
coverably into everlasting perdition. What folly to think
• 1 Jobo, iii, 16.
FIFTH COilMANDMENT. 16.1
of escaping a passing vexation, by casting one s self into tiie
frightful and fathomless abyss of hell 1
God does not confine himself to the prohibition of taking
away the life of the body ; He also forbids whatever can
injure the soul, particularly scandal, which takes away the
spiintual life of our neighbor. Scandal consists in doing
anything which will lead others to sin, or turn them away
from the path of virtue. It is a second species of murder ;
one which does not strike the senses, but which is no le.ss
real in the eyes of faith, and no less criminal before God.
Jesus Christ threatens with the severest punishment, those
who ar« to their brethren a subject of scandal, and an
occasion of transgression. " Woe to that man by whom the
scandal cometh. . . . He that shall scandalize one of these
little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that
a millstone should be hanged about lais neck, and that he
should be drowiied in the depth of the sea." * We may
udge of the enormity of this sin by the horx'or of it with
which our Blessed Lord is desirous of inspiring us.
If we consider the effects of scandal, we shall acknowl-
edge the justice of the awful punishment which God re
serves for those who are guUty of it. What does the sinner,
who scandalizes his neighbor ? He opposes the designs of
God for the salvation of men. *' It is not the wiU of your
Father, who is in Heaven, that one of these little ones should
perish," f says Jesus Christ. He has adopted them all as
liis children ; He wishes to save all ; but by scandal a
person puts an obstacle to the will of God, since he causes
those to perish whom God was desirous of rendering hap-
py. The person who gives scandal, interferes witli the
redemption of man. Jesus Chiist came upon earth to save
souls ; he shed the last drop of his precious blood for their
redemption ; he who scandalizes them, robs him of these
souls, that have cost hun so dearly -, ha depi-ives him of
the fruit of his conquest ; he rendei's the shedding of his
blood useless to them ; he exposes to infinite misery thoso
for whom Jesus Christ merited eternal happmess.
• Mati., xviii, 7, 6. t Matt., xviii, 14,
166 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
A young man possesses virtuous inclinations, is docile
to Ms parents and masters, recollected in prayer, attentive
to all his duties, tlie object of God's complacency ; but lie
h-is the misfortuno to associate ^\•ith a Ubertino, who glorias
in liis impiety, who ridicules virtue, and those who follow
its guidance. The yomig man, imposed upon by his dis-
courses, yields to the fear of censure and derision, and
blushes at virtue. The libertine goes farther; he mtrodu
ces immoral language, gives evil counsel, and encourages
the commission of vice by his scandalous example. The
yoimg man learns the evil of wliich he was ignorant, re-
ceives bad impressions and, m the end, plunges into the
same criminal disordeis. Behold him now become the slave
of the same passions, the victim of the same vices. God
wished to save this soul ; Jesus Clii'ist died for it ; the
sirmer who scandalized it, is the cause of its perdition.
What chastisements must await him ! Can there be any
punishment too rigorous for liim ? ]Miserable sinner ! you
would have a horror to imbrue j'-our hands in the blood oi
your brother, and yet the evO. which you have done is
infinitely greater. You would have been less cruel in his
regard, had you i^lunged a dagger into liis bosom, and de-
prived him of the life of his body. This soul that you have
seduced will eternally cry to Heaven for vengeance
against you, and its cries \vill be heard by the Sovereign
Judge. Woe, then, to him who teaches youthful minds
the evil of which they are ignorant ; who seduces innocence
by his example or conversations ; who turns away others
from virtue and piety by his foohsh railleries : or who dis-
tributes books pernicious to religion and morality. Woe, in
fine, to him who is the cause of scandal, in any way what-
ever, or who, being able, does not prevent it. He is guilty
of all the sin of which he is the cause, and he shall be
punished for all the evil which may arise even after his
death, by means of the scandal he has given.
Adonibesec havuig been vanquished by the Israehtes.
they cut off the extremities of his hands and feet. Then
this bai'barous king remembered all the cruelties whicli he
FIFTB COMSOXDMBNT 167
himself had perpetrated, and said: Seventy king«, whose
lingers and toes I have caused to be cut oflf", gather up the
leavings of the meat under my table : as I have done, so
hath God requited me.*
A young student, v^ho possessed in a liigh degee all the
qualities which could be wished for in a young man, by a
misfortune but too common among persons of his age,
associated with bad companions, was soon drawn from the
path of virtue, in which he had been trained up, and plung-
ed into the very lowest depths of vice. His depravity soon
became public ; nor had the remonstrance of his afflicted
family the least influence to induce liim to change his life,
and return to the path which ho had forsaken. God him-
self, at length, visited him by one of those awful strokes of
divine vangeance, which, as a thunderbolt, fall at last upon
the sinner who has long slighted his goodness and his mer-
cy. The young man awoke one night out of his sleep,
screaming so loudly and dreadfully, as to terrify) all who
were in the house. His friends ran to his assistance ; they
did what they could to tranquillize and console him ; they
sent for a priest, who exhorted liim to retui'n to God, and
to confide in his infinite mercies ; — but all in vain : the
unfortunate youth was in the very depth of despair. He
cast his dying looks wildly around him, and exclaimed, in
a terrific voice, these awful words: "Woe to them who se-
duced me I It is vain for me to invoke the mercy of God :
I see hell open to receive me ! " Then, turning on his
side, he expired. Alas ! what multitudes have fallen
victims to the soul-destroying vice ot scandal ! — Collet.
ExKRCiSEs. — 1. 'Wliat is forbidden by tlio Fifth Commandmen t ? —
2. Does the law of God forbid murder only ? — 3. Is duelling a great
crime ? — 4- Show that duelling is as contrary to humanity as to
Christianity —5. Malie us understand the culpability of one who takea
away his own life —6 Does God confine himself to the prohibition of
taking away the life of the body ? — 7 In what does scandal consist ? —
8- Illustrate by an example the criminality of him who gives scandal.
9. What are the fatal eflfects of scandal ?
•Judges, 1, 7.
168 DUTIES OF A OHItta'PAW.
CHAPTER VII.
Of the Sixth Commandment.
" THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.'
By the Sixth Commandment, God forbids all those
things which are contrary to purity of body and soul.
Those things the Holy Scripture regards as abuminable ;
and St. Paul does not hesitate to class with idolaters those
who commit them, and he declares that neither shall enter
into the kingdom of Heaven.*
It is forbidden, by this commandment, to say or do any-
thing contrary to public decency, or against purity. Hence,
it is highly criminal to utter obscene words, to sing lasci-
vious songs, or even hsten to such with pleasure ; to read
books, to write letters, or give advice tending to inflame
the passions ; to fix the eyes on immodest pictures or
statues, or commit any act to please or gratify one's dis-
orderlj'' or irregular inclinations. There is no sin more
opposed to the infinite sanctity of God, or which He
punishes more severely, than that of impurity. Even in
this life, He frequently visits those who commit it with his
vengeance, of which many examples are recorded in Holy
Writ. In an infidel, it would be sinful and punishable,
because contrary to the light of natural reason ; but, in a
Christian, who has been regenerated in Jesus Christ, it
would be much more heinous, because notliing is more at
variance with the holiness of liis profession, and because it
outrages the Holy Ghost, whose temple it profanes, and
our Lord Jesus Christ, whose members it sullies. Wliat a
crime to profane the temple of God ! What a sacrilege to
dishonor the members of Jesus Christ ! This idea ought
to fill us -with liorror ; but we shall confirm ourselves in
this sentiment if we consider the fatal consequences of this
Bin. It ruins health, dissipates property, and covers with
infamy those who commit it. A .young man addicted to
this sin, becomes the disgrace of his family, the scandal of
• 1 Cor.. Ti. 9, 10.
SIXTH OOMJUANDUENT. 169
his neighborhood ; and either perishes, miserably, in the
flower of his age, or drags out a languishing life, in igno-
miny, sorrow, and despair. It also darkens the under-
standing, and renders it incapable of any serious applica-
tion. His heart is even more diseased than his mind, and
he conceives an almost insurmountable disgust for prayer
and exercises of piety ; in line, he is the carnal man of
whom St. Paul speaks, who understands nothing of the
tilings of God. The sight, even, of the good, gives him
pain, because it is, as it were, a silent censure of his dis-
orders. "For every one that doth evil," says Jesus Christ,
•'hateth the light."*
Another dreadful effect of this siu is, that it produces a
great hardness of heart. The dearest interests have no
longer any influence ; God's promises and threats are alike
despised ; eternal happiness or misery makes no impres-
sion : all are reckoned as nothing. It leads even to the
loss of faith ; for religion cannot be allied to a dissolute
life. To stifle remorse and to live tranquilly in crime, the
unchaste begin to doubt the most certain truths, and these
doubts soon lead to settled unbelief. At last, comes final
Impenitence ; they die in their sins ; they stand before the
tribunal of God covered with the crimes which sullied their
whole life ; and they are damned ! Theii* bones, says the
Scripture, shall be filled with the vices of their youth :
they shall sleep with them in the dust of the tomb, and
accompany them even to hell.
We are bound to avoid not only this sin, but also, the
occasions that lead to it ; for "he that loveth danger, shall
perish in it."t "It is a greater miracle," says St. Ber-
nardine of Sienna, " not to fall in the occasion of sin, than
to raise a dead man to life." The following are some of
the most dangerous occasions : —
1st. Excess in eating and drinking. " Take heed to your-
selves," says Jesus Christ, "lest, perhaps, your hearts be
overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the
cares of this hfe ; and that day come upon you suddenly.
For, as a snare shall it come upon all that sit upon the face
• John, iii, 20. t Eoolas., iii, 27.
170 DUTIES OF A 0HRISTL4JI.
of thfa whole earth."* Drunkenness is, of its own nature,
a mortal sin. As to the evil of it, in general, the Scripture
says, "Wine drunken with excess raiseth quarrels, and
wrath, and many ruins. Wine drunken with excess is bit-
terness of the soul."t ''Who hath woe? whose father
bith woe? who hath contentions? who falls into pits? —
who hath wounds without cause ? who hath redness of
eyes ? — Sui-ely they that pass their time in wine, and
study to drink off their cups. " J Drunlienness excludes
from Heaven ; foi-, " neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor drunkards, shall possess the
kingdom of God.'"§ It leads and exposes one to the greatest
crunes and to the most shameful falls. It changes men
into brutes ; robs them of their reason -, destroys their
health ; brings on them many diseases ; shortens then*
life; consumes their substance ; reduces themselves and
their cliildi*en to penury and want ; destroys the peace
of their families ; foments then- passions and lusts ; makes
them slaves to their sensual mclinations ; renders them
totally uniit for all spiritual duties ; opens the door to all
temptations ; shuts up all access to the grace of God ; and,
when once it has become a habit, it is seldom, if ever,
cured ; and, iinally, it drags the poor soul down to hell-
fire.
2nd. Idleness ; — because to live in idleness, is to expose
one's self to continual temptation. Idleness is the fruitful
parent of many vices.
3rd. Bad company. Nothing can be more pernicious
than the company of such as, having lost all fear of God
and sense of modesty,- try to induce others to commit sin
either by their discourse or bad example. The Holy Ghost,
in several parts of Holy Writ, admonishes us to shun the
comjDany of the wicked, and to break oflf all intercourse
with them, since they communicate the infection of their
vices to all who associate witn them.
4th. Bad boQks. The reading of bad books occasions a
thousand dangerous thoughts, and tills the imaginaticn
• Luke, zxi, 34. t Eoclus., xxxi, 38, 39. | Prov., xxiii, 29, 30
§ 1 Cor., Ti, 9, 10.
StXTH COMMANDMENT. 171
with, impure images. Through the mind the poison passes
to the heart, and there.begets ruin and death."' One bad
book is capable of corrupting a multitude of young people ;
and, ifit be one of those pestiferous productions, in which
passionate intrigues, lascivious anecdotes, and obscene de-
scriptions, are joined \vith impious maxims, calculated to
banish the fear of God from the soul and undermine its
faith, the evil is still more fatal and deplorable. Faith is
the best safeguard of morals. So long as it exists in the
soul, there is room to hope that virtue may return ; but
what is tjiere to arrest the onward career of the sinner,
when once he has lost the faith ? O you, who have hitherto
escaped the contagion, beware ofreading pernicious books-;
reject them Avith horror when they are offered to you.
Should such a book come into your hands, do not evan
look into it, lest you be tempted to read it. Say not that
you desire to read it only on account of the instruction
it contains, or the elegance of its style, since these advan-
tages may be derived from better sources, without danger
to morality. Works, combining all the graces and orna-
ments of style, with sound and varied information, are by
no means rare. Moi'eover, all worldly advantages would
be much too dear, if purchased at the price of your inno-
cence and virtue. If you give the preference to books which
may corrupt you, passion, and not reason or religion,
dictates the choice. — See Ch. XI. Christian Politeness.
5th. Plays. It is in theatres that the demon of impurity
displays his pomps with greatest advantage. There, every-
thing breathes an air of voluptuousness, everything is
calctdated to ensnare : nothing, m line, can be more opposed
to the spu'it of Christianity, which is a spuit of purity,
modesty, prayer, and penance.
All, therefore, who would preserve themselves in the
fear and love of God, must carefully avoid all these occa-
sions, be earnest in the holy and necessary exercise of
prayer, confess frequently to a pious and eiiUghtened
confessor, have a particular devotion to the Immaculate
Mother of God, and let no day pass without praying, fer-
veutly, for the great gift of holy purity.
172 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
All mankind, without distinction of age or sex, buried
in the waters of the deluge, except Noah and his famUy,
because, as the Scripture says, " all flesh had corrupted ita
way ;"*five infamous cities consumed, with all their inhab-
itants, by fire from Heaven 5 four and twenty thousand
Israelites, for the crime of impurity, put to death in a
single day, and God, by his approval and his recompenses,
declaring himself the Author of this terrible execution ;
are evident proofs of the horror which the Lord has for this
vice, and that, even in this life, He frequently visits it with
the most rigorous chastisements.
Fathers and mothers, masters and mistresses, if you see
a dangerous book in the hands of yom' children or domes-
tics, have at least the zeal of Diderot ; this is not too much
to expect. Snatch, as he did, with indignation, from the
hands of those you love, every book in which religion and
piety are not respected. It was his own work that the
infidel could not bear to see, for an instant, in the hands
of his daughter. How well may we say to him: '' If your
doctrines are so dangerous, as you now appear to allow,
why diffuse them over the world ? Why would you circu-
Wte, among the great family of mankind, those poisons,
\ ,iiich you judge so dangerous for your o^vn ? " — ^JMeraxjlt.
Exercises. —1. What does God forbid by the Sixth Commandment?
— 2. 'Why is the sin condemned by this commandment so great a crime,
especially in a Christian ? — 3. A^Tiat are the fatal consequences of this
sin? — 4. What other ravages does thi'i sin make in the heart of the
person who has become its slave ? — 5 Are we bound to avoid the occa-
sions of this sin ? — 6. What are the ordinary occasions of impurity ? —
7, IVame the fatal effects of excess in eating and drinhing. — 8 'Why ia
idleness an occasion of this sin ? — 9 Is had company very pernicious ?—
10. Explain to us the great danger of reading had hooks. — H.. What 13
the best safeguard of morals ? — 12. Are plays, such as theatres, itc,
very dangerous occasions of this sin? — 13. What means should they
take who desire to preserve themselves in the fear and love of God ?
* Genesis- Ti, 12.
SEVENTH COMMANDME^TO. 178
CHAPTER VIII.
Of the Seventh Commandment.
''THOU SHALT NOT STEAL."
We are forbidden, by the Seventh Commandment, to
take or keep unjustly what belongs to another: God being
the Sovereign Master of all tilings, distributes the goods of
this earth to his creatures, as best pleases Him ; and He
strictly requires that we respect the order his providence
has established, and that we take not from others, what He
has given them. This law is written in our heart ; if we
read it, we shall find, that we should not do to others,
what we would not wish others to do unto us. Were a
person to take what belongs to us, we would accuse him
of injustice, and it would be such in reality ; but another
has the same right to complain of us, if we do not observe
the laws of justice towards him. Without justice, society
could not subsist. It is, therefore, forbidden us to wrong
our neighbor in his goods, in any way whatever.
"Thieves," St. Paul affirms, "shall not possess the
kingdom of God."* It is an injustice to take the goods of
others by sm-prise or violence. It is also an injustice to
take them by fraud, that is, to deceive one's neighbor as to
the weight, quality, or quantity, of the commodity we sell
tiim.
Childi-en are forbidden to take the goods of their parents,
without their consent. To do so is a theft, against which
the Holy Ghost speaks, in the strongest terms, in the Holy
Scripture. He declares that he who steals anything
from his father or from Ms mother, and says, that it is no
sin, is the partner of a murderer, t WTiat else can this mean,
than that the young libertine who robs bis parents to gratify
his passions, wishes for the inheritance and the enjoyment
of their goods before theu' death, which does not come
soon enough for his wishes ; thus giving evidence of a
heart destitute of every sentiment of filial aflTection.
• 1 Cor., vi, 10. t Prov., xrriii, 24.
J 74 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
It is unjust to contract debts wWch we have not sufficient
probability of being able to pay, or to retain the goods of
others, by not discharging what we owe, or by not paj'ing,
in due time, the wages of servants and worlanen. "If any
man hath done any work for thee," said old Tobias to his
son, " immediately pay him his hire, and let not the wages
of thy hii-ed servant stay with thee at all.'"*
It is also unjust to take usmy, to retain what has been
entrusted to our custodj'-, or to appropriate to ourselves,
without the owner's consent, anything we may have found.
It is likewise unjust. to cause any damage to our neighbor
in his property, by injui-ing or destroying what belongs to
him ; and the injustice is the same, whether we do the
injury ourselves, or cause others to do it.
When we have taken anything from a neighbor, or have
done him injury, it is not sufficient to repent of it, and beg
pardon of God ; we must also restore what we have taken,
and repah the mjury we have caused. Without this repa-
ration, there is no pardon to be hoped for, no salvation to
be expected -, for, we cannot enter into Heaven possessed
of the goods of others. When not able to make restitution,
there should be, at least, a smcere will to acquit ourselves
of this obligation as soon as possible, and we should use
every effort to place om-selves in a condition to do so.
This commandment also obliges, to give alms according
to our means and the necessities of the poor. The Wise
Man admonishes us, that we ought to assist the poor, and
not abandon them in then* poverty. St. John saj's, that
" he that hath the substance of this world, and shall see
his brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from him ;
how doth the charity of God abide inliim?''t and our
Lord Jesus Christ will condemn to eternal fire, those who
refuse to relieve him m the persons of the poor.
Although by alms-giving is understood, the distributing
of a share of our temporal goods to the poor, there is
another species of almsdeeds more meritorious, which
consists in relieving the neighbor m his sphitual necessities.
All men are not in a condition to reheve the bodily wants
• Tobias, iv, 15. 1 1 John, iii, 17.
SBVENTH COMMAJTOMENT. 173
of the poor, but all can render spiritual assistance,
and contribute to his salvation by good example, by
instruction, or by procuring him instruction. Tliis du-
ty devolves especially on parents and such as are charged
with the instruction of others, or who, by their sta-
tion, are obliged to labor for their neighbor's sanctifica-
tion. To save the life of a famishing creature is, doubtless,
a great charity ; but to contribute to the everlasting salva-
tion of a soul, is a work whose value shall be known only
in the next life, and which can never be sufficiently appre-
ciated in this. "He," says St. James, "who causeth a
sinner to be converted from the error of his way, shall
save liis soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of
sins."* " They that are learned," says the Prophet Daniel,
•' shaU shine as the brightness of the iirmamentj and they
that instruct many to justice, as stars for all eternity." t
A poor Chinese Christian found, in one of the streets of
Pekin, a purse containing twenty pieces of gold. He
looked around, hoping to fmd a claimant ; and, thinking
it might have fallen from a gentleman on horseback, who
had just passed, he ran after him, and asked if he had lost
anything. The gentleman searched Ms pockets, and miss-
ing his purse, replied in a tremulous voice, " Yes ; I have
lost my purse, containing twenty pieces of gold." "Be
not disturbed," said the poor man ; "here it is, with the
twenty pieces." The gentleman, recovering from his
alarm, could not but admu'e so noble an action, in a man
of humble condition. "But who are you?" said he;
"what is your name ? — ^where do you live ?" "It matters
little," said the poor man, " for you to know who I am ; it
is sufficient to tell you, that I am a Christian, — one of
those who make profession of observing the law of the
Gospel, which forbids, not only to steal the goods of others,
but even to keep what may be found by chance, when the
owner can be discovered." The gentleman was so struck
with the purity of Chi'istian morality, that he went imme-
diately to the church of the Christians, in order to receive
• James, v, 20- t Dan-, xii, 3.
176 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
instruction in the mysteries of our religion. — Lettres
Edifiantbs.
A well-known usurer being at the hour of death, sent
for a confessor, who told him that, his goods having been
unjustly acquired, he was absolutely bound to restitution.
" But what shall become of my children ?" said the dying
man. "The salvation of your soul ought to be much
dearer to you," said the confessor, " than the fortune of
your family." " I cannot persuade myself to do what you
require ; I cannot do it," replied the unfortunate man ; —
and in a few moments after, he exjjired 1 How awful a
death ! How much it should cause those to tremble, who
have acquired the goods which they possess, by fraud and
injustice ! — Cathechismb de l' Empire.
ExEKCiSES — 1- AVhat is forbidden by tlio Seventh Commandment ?
2. On what is the respect we owe our neighbor's property founded ?
— 3 Are children forbidden to take the goods of their parents without
their consent ? — 4. Is it just to retain the wages of servants and work-
men ? — 5. Name same other acti>, as which are unjust. — 6. What is
required of a person who has taken it injured his neighbor's goods ? —
7. What does this commandment also oblige us ? — 8. How may alms-
giving be supplied ? — 9. What shall be the reward of those whu con-
tribute to the salvation of others ?
CHAPTER IX.
Of the Mijhth Commandment.
'* THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY
NEKtHBOB."
The Eighth Commandment forbids all Mso testimonies,
rash judgments, and lies , it also forbids all words or re-
ports hurtful to our neighbors honor or reputation.
God is truth itself : whatever, therefore, violates truth,
offends Him. Hence the prohibition, never to speak con-
trary to truth, so frequently repeated in the Holy Scrip-
tures. The vice of lying is subversive of social intercourse,
and is opposed to God's beneficent design in conferring
the gift of sptjech. For we are endowed with this faculty,
KieHTU COMMANDilENT. 171
chat we may, by its means, commuaicate truth to our
neighbor ; but, by lies, we are guilty of deception, and
thus lead him into error. Even pagans felt the force of
tliis principle, and many of them were remarkable for their
abhorrence of lying and deceit. A lie, when uttered even
m jest, pr to promoteour own or our neighbor' sad vantage,
IS unlawful and inexcusable ; but, the sin is far greater,
when it prejudices the neighbor in his character — for ex-
ample, by attributing to him some vice to wliich he is not
ijddicted, or by laying to his charge some fault which he
has not committed.
This species of lie is called calumn;/ — a crime which
shocks every upright mind by its detestable meanness and
mahce. The Scripture, speaking of calumniators, says:
"Their throat is an open sepulchi-e ; with theu- tongues
they have dealt deceitfully. The venom of asps is undei
their lips."' "They have whetted their tongues like a
sword ; they have bent then- bow to shoot in secret
the undefiled." t
" A good name, " says the Wise Man, " is better than
great riches ; and good favor is above silver and gold : " J
but it is of his reputation and honor that the calumniator
robs his neighbor ; and it exceedingly aggravates the
calumny and completes its enormity, when it is affirmed
on oath and in a court of justice. The false witness, besides
the atrocious injury which he does to ihe innocent party,
\3 guilty of a horrible impiety against God, whose awful
name he profanes, by making it serve as the support of
perjury o-nd injustice. Those who have injured their neigh-
bor by lying reports, must repair the injustice they have
done him, and all the consequences of that injustice. They
must re-establish liis good name ; and this cannot be done
but by an avowal of his innocence as public as the calumny
had been. To restore the reputation which they have
unjustly tarnished, they must sacrifice their own. Rightly,
then, does the Scripture say, that the tongue of the slan-
derer is a two-edged sword.
• Bom., iii, 13. t Ps. Ixiii, i. I Prov., xxii, 1.
178 DDTIBS OF A OBRISTIAX.
This commandment also forbids detraction ; that is, ma-
king known, without necessity, the evil which our neigh-
bor has committed. So long as the fault is secret, or known
only to a few, he has not forfeited his good name ; and,
if we publish his fault, we unjustly deprive him of his rep-
utation. Would we wish that our own hidden sins should
be divulged ? No, certainly. We ought, then, to be silent
regarding those of others. " Hast thou heard a word
against thy neighbor ? let it die within thee, trusting that
it will not burst thee."* " My son, have nothing to
do with detractors ; for their destruction shall rise sud-
denly."! Detraction, like fire borne onwards by the wind,
passes from mouth to mouth, and, what it does not de-
stroy, it blackens. It is a restless evil, which foments dis-
sensions in families, and fills- them with confusion. It is an
empoisoned source of hatred and revenge, and the occa-
sion of numberless sins. "The whisperer and the double-
tongued is accursed ; for he hath troubled many that were
at peace." t
Tlie detractor is guilty of all the sins which he has occa-
sioned ; he has sinned in those who have mentioned the
detraction after him ; he has sinned even in those who
heard him ; for it is forbidden, not only to speak ill of our
neighbor, but even to listen to the evil spoken of him. If
none would listen, there would be none to detract. The
pleasure with which detractors are listened to, encourages
and hardens them, and, therefore, the listeners become
participators in then- guilt.
Of all kinds of detraction, the worst, in its consequences,
is that of telling one person in secret, what another has
said or done against him . Reports of this kind almost in-
variably beget, in the heart of liim who hears them, hatred,
and a desire of revenge, which, most generally, terminate
in irreconcilable enmity. The accused, not knowing what
has been related of him, has no means of justifying or
explaining himself, or of making satisfaction. " Six tilings
there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul
• Ecolus., xix, 10. t Prov., xxiv, 21,22. t Eoclus., xxriii, 15.
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 179
detesleth, — him that soweth discord among brethren."*
It is, however, allowable to discover the faults of our
neighbor when they are contagious, that they may not be
productive of injury to others. But, even then, we should
discover them to those only who can apply a remedy to the
evU, or for the purpose of guarding others against its in-
fluence. Far from wounding charity by so doing, we, on the
contrary, discharge a duty the most natural and the most
necessaiy ; and it is, in reality, loving our neighbor, to
prevent him from destroying himself, or causing the de-
struction of others. It is charity to prefer his salvation, and
that of others, to any reputation he may have acquired.
Although detraction is less criminal than calumny, yet
its consequences are sometimes more fatal, as the injury it
does our neighbor is almost irreparable. When a person
has calumniated another, he can and ought to retract the
calumny, and thus heal the wound he has mflicted, and
restore his neighbor's reputation ; but when the evil re-
ported of his neighbor is true, it cannot be retracted with-
out a lie, the telUng of which can never be permitted. And
though a person should repent of the sin of detraction, it
is almost impossible for him to repair the injury it has done.
The injury must, however, be repau-ed as far as possible,
by telling of the injured party, whatever can be said truly
to his advantage, in order thus to eiface, or, at least, weak-
en, the bad impression which the detraction may have
made.
By the Eighth Commandment, we are forbidden, not
only to speak Ul of our neighbor, but also to entertain a
bad opinion of hist, without just cause. We are not per-
mitted to judge our neighbor upon weak evidence, or
equivocal appearances, since we would thereby expose
ourselves to condemn the innocent. The judging evil of our
neighbor, without sufficient grounds, is the sin of 7-ash judg-
ment. As long as he is not convicted, he has a right to our
esteem, of which we cannot deprive him without injustice,
except for just reasons. Rash judgment is no less contrary
to charity than it is to justice. Charity inclines us to think
• ProT., vi, 16, 19.
180 DUTIES OF A CHKISTU-N.
advantageously of our brethren, to interpret their actions
favorably, and to excuse whatever is not manifestly bad.
'' Charity, " says the Apostle, " tlunketh no evil :"* — it sees
no crime until it is evident,' nor believes it until it ife proved.
When a person loves another, he is more disposed to be-
lieve him innocent than guilty of any crime with which he
may be charged. Would we wish, thit without sufficient
reason, we were judged guiltj'' of some criminal action ?
No, undoubtedly. Let us not, then, do to others, what we
would not wish to have done to ourselves. It would be' a
judgment still more rash and ci-iminal, to attribute bad
intentions to actions in themselves good and laudable, and
to suppose vicious motives in those whose exterior con-
duet is regular and edifying. Nothing, however, is more
ordinary, than to see malignity spread its poison over ac-
tions the most virtuous. This evil disposition, which sees
vice under the appearance of virtue, can come but from a
sinful and corrupt heart. Good people judge of others by
themselves ; as they are upright and sincere, they easily
believe that others are so too ; they are edified by those
whose comportment bespeaks their hidden virtue ; nor
does it ever enter their mind, that their religious exterior
conceals a heart enslaved to hj^pocrisy and pride. Occupied
with their own defects, of wliich they are to render an
Account, they pay no attention to those of others ; and, by
this charitable conduct towards their neighbor, they provide
for themselves a favorable judgment at the tribunal of
God ; for Jesus Christ has promised, that he will judge us
Ln the same manner we shall have judged others.
St. Augustine, in order to prevent detraction, which is
most common at time of meals, caused the following lines
to be written over his table : —
" This board allows no vile detractor place,
Whose tongue shall charge the absent with disgrace."
Rome of his friends having, one day, begun to speak of
the defects of others, the saint expressed his dissatisfaction,
* 1 C*r., xiii, 6.
NINTH CO JIMANDMENT. 181
and told them, if they did not desist, he should instantly
blot out those lines, or v/ithdraw from table. Thus ought
every Christian to oppose firmly, and with all his influence,
the utterance of calumny or detraction. — Possidixjs.
ExEECiSKS. —1. WLat sins are prohibited by the Eighth Command-
luent ? — 2. Why is the vice of lyin;? so despiaable in the eyes of God and
BO odious toman? — 3. What species of lie is the most criminal? —
4- What languag'o does the Holy Scripture apply to caUiainiators ? —
5. What is it that completes the enormity of calumny? — G. What ia
required of those who have injured their neighbor by false reports ? —
7. What is detraction ? — S. What are the sad conseauences of detrac-
tion ? — 9. What is the worst kind of detraction ?
CHAPTER X.
Of the Ninth Commandment.
''thou SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR'S WIFE."
God having, by the Sixth Commandment, forbidden all
exterior actions contrary to purity, forbids by the Ninth,
all thoughts and desires opposed to tliis virtue. To abstain
from sinful actions, is not sufficient for the accomplishment
of God's law 5 the very desire of what is forbidden is crim-
inal. God, who sounds the hearts of men, is not content
with exterior purity ; he wills that our very heart be pure.
He will not permit us to desire that which He commands
us to avoid. An evil thought defiles the soul, when it is
deliberate and is consented to ; that is, when entertained
with reflection and delectation, it renders us guilty of sin.
Evil thoughts, says the Scripture, separate from God. They
inflict death on the soul, if they are not rejected as soon
as perceived. Thus, the law of God goes to the root of the
evil : it stifles it in its very birth. Experience shows, that
no one falls, all at once, into the commission of criminal
actions, but gradually. The evil commences with a thought ;
from this, reflected on, springis desire ; and from desire,
proceeds the external acts. '' For from the heart, " says
the Savior of the world, '• come forth evil thoughts, mm*-
dei-s, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false kestunonies,
IS2 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
blasphemios. These are the things that defile a man."*
Our divine Master places bad thoughts at the head of all
crimes, because they are their principle and source. The
true means, then, to prevent the desire of evil, is to reject
the thought of it, and to prevent the evil action, is to stifle
the desire. We cannot, indeed, prevent bad thoughts from
entering our imagination, but it is in our power not to give
occasion to them ; and, when they do present themselves,
we can, with the help of God, resist them, and refuse them
the consent of our will. We must not expect, in this life,
a peace exempt from combat. Virtue does not consist in
never being attaclced, but it consists in resisting coura-
geously all the assaults of our passions, and in never giving
occasion to temptation. If, notwithstanding our vigilance,
temptation presents itself, we must turn away our atten-
tion, raise our heart to God, and apply ourselves to some
useful occupation. Let the devil find you always employed,
and his darts will fall harmlesslj' at j'our feet. Be faithful,
and fear nothing. If the demon imi^ortune you, and seek
to terrify you, listen not to him, and he will be vanquished.
Attach yourself to God ; He wUl never suffer you to be
temjjted above your strength. A temptation which you
resist, does you no injmy ; it rather affords subject for
triumph, and matter for eternal recompense.
St. Liguori, treating, in his "Precepts of the Decalogue,"
on the remedies against impure temptations, says; "When
an impure image is presented to the mind, we must im-
mediately endeavor to turn our thoughts to God, or to some-
thing which is indifferent. But- the best rule is, instantly
to invoke the names of Jesus and Mary, and to continue
to invoke them mitil the temptation ceases, or, at least, till
it becomes weak. Wlien the temptation is violent, it is use-
ful to renew our purpose of never consenting to any sin,
saying, My God, I wish to die, rather than offend Thee. And
then let us ask aid : My Jesus, assist me ; Mary, pray for me.
The names of Jesus and IMary have special power to ban-
ish the temptations of the de\al." The same holy writer,
in speaking of the devotion to the Mother of God, as
• Matt.. XV, 19, 20.
TRNTH COMMANDMENT. 183
R salutary remedy, recommends the practice of saying
every morning three Hail Marys, in honor of the purity of
the Blessed Virgin, in ordei* to obtain, thi'ough her inter-
cession, the grace of efficaciously resisting impure tempta-
tions. Having shown the efficacy of this means by some
examples, he concludes bysayingJ " Let each one practise
this little devotion, of saying thi'ee Hail Marys, in honor of
the Blessed Virgin, adding after each Hail Mary, Through
thy pure and immaculate conception, 0 Mary, obtain for me
purity and sanctity of body and soul.'' ^ After enumerating
various remedies against the detestable and dangerous vice
of impurity, he adds, "Butthefii-st of all is to avoid the
occasions of sin." It is, moreover, necessary to have a
great diffidence in ourselves, and an unlimited coniidence
in God.
St. Bernardine of Sienna had so great a horror of all
that could, in the least degree, wound chastity, that he
blushed when any of his companions used any word con-
trary to the strictest propriety. His presence alone was
sufficient to restrain them ; and, on seeing him approach,
they used to say, "Hushl hush! Bernardine is coming."
Exercises. - 1. What daes God forbid by the Ninth Commandment ?
— 2 Why are evil desires condemned ? — 3. What is the best means to
prevent evil desires ? — 4. Does virtue consist in never bein^ tempted '.'
— 5. If, notwithstanding our vigilance, temptation presents itself, what
must we do? — (). What remedies does St- Liguori prescribe against
impure temptations ? — 7. What practice does the same holy writer
recommend on this subject ?
CHAPTER XL
Of the Tenth Commandment.
" THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEiaHBOR's GOODS."
God having forbidden, by the Seventh Commandment,
to take or retain the goods of another, forbids by the Tenth,
the desire of possessing them to his prejudice. Remark
hei'e the essential difference between the laws of God and
184 DUTIb-S OF A CHRISTIAN.
those of man. The laws of man regulate only the exterior
action, because man sees only the exterior ; but the law
of God forbids even the most secret thoughts and desires,
because God sees the bottom of the heart. It is not for-
bidden to desire the goods of others, when we propose to
obtain them legitimately, and with their consent ; for
otherwise, we could not purchase anytliing. Wlien a person
buys a house or land, it is from a desire to possess it ; but
this desire is perfectly legitimate, when, to become master
of it, he employs no other than just means,, and such as
have the sanction of the law. This commandment forbids
the deshe of acquiring unjustlj'' what belongs to our neigh-
bor, an irregular attachment to riches, over-eagerness to
acquire them, and that cupidity wliich St. Paul calls the
root and beginning of every evil, and against which the
Prophet Isaiah exclaims in the following terms : '* Woe to
you that jom house to house, and lay field to field, even to
the end of the place : shall you alone dwell in the midst
of the earth ?■•*
Nothing is more opposed to the sphit of the Gospel
than that avidity for riches, which ever deshes to acquhe,
is ever discontented with its acquisitions, is in continual
apprehension of their suflfering any diminution, and which
amasses and accumulates, as if this earth were intended to
be man's everlasting dwelling-place. A man addicted to
this base passion, is solely occupied with the care of grati-
fying it. It is the subject of his thoughts by day, and even
by night. While vainly endeavormg to procm-e happiness,
which, he imagines, is to be found in the possession of
wealth, he renders himself miserable, and consumes his
years m perpetual torment.
'■There is not," says the Scripture, "a more wicked
thing than to love money ; for such a one setteth even his
own soul to sale."t What injustice, what violence, what
fraud, does not tliis passion occasion ! The covetous man
counts as nothing conscience and salvation, provided he
increases his treasure ; in a word, money is his god, and
he- recognizes no other. Hence. St. Paul calls this pas-
• Isaiah., v, 8. t Eoolus., x, 10.
TENTH COMMANDMENT. 185
aion an "idolatry;"* and our Blessed Savior, in his Gospel,
declares, that "no one can serve two masters." "You
cannot," he subjoins, "serve God and mammon. "t
Our Lord does not, however, forbid the possession of
riches, since liis providence bestows them vipon us ; but
He forbids us to "set our he-'rt upon them," or to make our
happiness consist in thair possession. Riches are not con-
demned, but the inordinate desire of acquuing them.
Shall it be affii-med, that transitory, perishable goods,
wliich are acquired with a thousand pains, and jjreserved
with an infinity of solicitude ; which, one day, we shall
part with in spite of us — entirely and for ever — whilst our
grief for their loss shall be in proportion to the attachment
which we bear them. Shall it be said, then, that goods of
such a nature, and such a tenure, are calculated to confer
happiness on their possessors ? Well is it for the rich who
obey the wise injunction of the holy King David: "If
riches abound, set not your heart upon them." J
But, if it has pleased God that you be not in opulence,
be satisfied with your condition; envy not the rich, against
whom a woe has been pronounced, since they have their
consolation here; covet not their wealth, since, "it is
easier for a camel to pass thi'ough the eye of a needle, than
for a rich man to enter into the Idngdom of Heaven. "§ On
the contrary, " the poor in spuit" are declared " blessed ;
for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." II Follow, therefore,
the counsel of our divine Eedeemer : " Lay not up to your-
selves ti'easures on earth, where the rust and moth con-
sume, and where tliieves break through and steal ; but lay
up to yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither the
rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not
break through, nor steal. For where thy treasure is, there
is thy heart also." IT
Pythius, a king of Lydia, was exceedingly avaricious ;
and, though he had amassed great treasures, he expended
nothing more than was requisite for the mere necessaries
• Ephes., V, 5. t Matt., vi, 24 t I'a. Ixi, 11. § Matt., xix, 24.
11 Matt., V, 3. ITMatt., vi. 19, 20, 21.
186 DUTIES OP X CHRISTIAN.
of life. His queen, who was a person of good sense, took
the following method, in order to correct him of this vice.
On a certain day, when Pythius retui'ned hxingry from the
exercise of the chase, she ordered his attendants to jDlace
before him dishes filled with gold, newly taken from the
mines. The prince, charmed with the sight of so much
gold, looked at it for some moments with the utmost com-
placency. His hunger, however, increasing, he called for
food. ••How!" said the queen, " do you not see before
you what you love best in the world?" "What can you
mean ?" rejoined the king : " gold cannot, surely, stay my
hunger." " Then, is it not great foUy," said the queen, " to
have such a passion for a thing which is utterly useless
when shut up in your coffers ? Believe me, gold is of real
service to those only who judiciously exchange it for the
conveniences of life." Pythius felt the fuU force of the
lesson, to the great rehef of his oppressed subjects, and
from that time he became as hberal, as he had before been
avaricious.
Tobias, when he was blind, hearing the bleating of a
young kid which his wife had purchased with money ob-
tained by the labor of her hands, became alarmed lest it
might have been stolen, and said to her: "Take heed lest
perhaps it be stolen ; restore ye it to its owners, for it is
not lawful for us either to eat or to touch anything that
Cometh by theft."* When he imagined his last end ap-
proaching, he gave this advice to his son: "If any man
hath done any work for thee, immediately pay him his hire,
and let not the wages of thy hired servant stay with thee
at aU."t
ExEECiSRS. — 1. Show ns the essential difference which exists be-
tween the laws of God and those of mr*n. — 2- When is it not forbidden
to desire the goods of others ? — 3. Wbat does this commandment for-
bid ? — 4. Is avidity for riches opposed to the spirit of the Gospel ? —
5. What are the effects of the ardent desire we may have to enrich
ourselves ? — ti. Does our Lord forbid the possession of riches ? — 7. How
should we possess riches that they may not be detrimental to cur soul 1
' Tobias, ii, 21. t Tobiafl, iv, 15.
PRECEPTS OF THE OHUROH. 187
GriAPTp]R XII.
OF THE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH.
The Church has received power to command the faith-
ful, and they are bound to obey her, because being guided
by tlie Iloly Spirit, she speaks to us by divine autlaority.
God will not regard as liis children, those who respect her
not as their mother. This power of commanding resides
in the pastors, whom He has aj^pointed to rule and govern
liis Church, and to whom He has said; " He that heareth
you, heareth Me ; and he that despisoth you, despiseth
Me;"* and, again: "If he will not hear the Church, let
him be to thee as the heathen and publican."! This power
which the Church received from her divme Founder, she
has never ceased to exercise. From the &st dawning of
Christianity, the Apostles have issued then- ordinances ;
and we read in the Acts of the Apostles, that St. Paul
went from city to city prescribing their observance, and
that the early Christians received and obeyed them with
cheerfulness. To refuse submission to those who govern
in the name of God, would be to refuse submission to God
himself. There are Six Precepts of the Church, and these
every Catholic is bound to observe.
A p'^.rson who, it was supposed, entertained strong prej-
udices against the decisions of the Holy See, was once
addressed by a friend, in the following words : ' ' Favor me
with your advice ; what opinions should I embrace ? Should
I hold those of the Pope, or ought I conform to yours ? "
The other at once replied, " Hold firmly on the trunk of
the tree, and never separate yourself from it." — Lasausse.
" If we keep the Commandments of God," said a Catho-
Uc who had long neglected his religious duties, " He will
not condemn us for our disregard of those of the Church."
The reply which was made him is worthy of remembrance :
" I have never known any one who despised the commands
• Luke X, 16. t Matt., xviii, 17.
188 DimES OP A CHRISTIAN.
of the Church, to observe faithfully the commands of
God." — Lasaussb.
Exercises. — 1. Has the Chucrch received tht) power to command
the faithful, and are we bound to obey her ? — 2. lias the Church al-
ways exercised this power ? — 3. How many Precepts of the Church
are there ?
SECTION I.
|ST. PRECEPT. — "to hear mass ON SUNDAYS AND ALL
HOLYDAYS OF OBLIGATION. "
Of the Festivals of the Church.
The First Precept of the Church obliges us to sanctify the
festivals which she has instituted, by abstauiing from servile
work, and appljang ourselves to works of piety and relig-
ion. Some of these feasts have been established to cele-
brate the mysteries of our Lord's life on earth, — his Incar-
nation, Nativity, Circumcision, Manifestation to th© Gen-
tiles, his Resurrection and Ascension, the Descent of the
Holy Ghost, and the Institution of tho Blessed Eucharist.
These mysteries are the som"ces of all the graces we
receive from God, and of the salvation for which we hope ;
their remembrance ought to excite in us lively sentiments
of gratitude, adoration, and confidence, and animate us to
participate in their fruits by an increase of fxith, hope, and
love. The other feasts arft destined to honor in the Bless-
ed Virgin and the saints, the graces with which God has
favored them, and the glory with which their fidelity has
been crowned. On those days, their principal A^rtues are
proposed to us, that, by the remembrance of their inefia-
ble happiness, we may be encouraged to imitate theii- ex-
ample. Penetrated with a sense of om' own weakness, of
which om" experience continually admonishes us, we beg
of them to use their influence with God to obtain for us,
through the merits of our common Mediator, the grace of
walking in their footsteps, in order that we may arrive at
that eternal felicity which they now eryoy. Such is the
FESTIVALS OP THE OHCROH. 189
object of the Church in calling to our mind the great bene-
fits of God, and placing before our view the example of his
saints.
God, in the Old Law, prescribed to the Israelites a
number of festivals, to perpetuate the remembrance of the
wonders which He had wrought in their favor. On this
divine model, the festivals of the Christian Church have
been instituted, in order to honor God, to instruct the
faithful, and to nourish their piety. The majesty of the
divine offices, the sermons, the holy canticles with which,
on these days, the temples of God resound, transport us
in spirit to the times and places in which the mysteries we
celebrate were accomplished, and we adore our Lord in
them as if they actually passed before our eyes. These
grand objects, rendered thus present by our faith, and sec-
onded by the instructions and exhortations of our pastors,
increase our fervor and piety. These festivals are, more-
over, an occasion for the most simple among the faithful,
and even for children themselves, to be instructed in the
particular mystery that is celebrated, and to learn its his-
tory. The Church commands her pastors to teach these
truths to the people, and fathers and mothers are strictly
charged to teach them to their children. This is what God
himself prescribed to the Israelites. Moses having com-
manded them, on part of God, to sacrifice every year the
paschal lamb, and to celebrate the feast of the Azymes, he
added: " And when your children shall say to you, What
is the meaning of this service ? you shall say to them : It
is the victim of the passage of the Lord, when He passed
over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, striking
the Egyptians, and saving our houses."*
To sanctify the feasts of the Church, we should enter
into her spirit, meditate attentively on the mystery which
she celebrates, or on the life of the saint whom she commem-
orates, thank God for his benefits, and implore grace to
make a profitable use of them . We should, on the festivals
of the saints, excite ourselves to the practice of the virtues
for which they were respectively most conspicuous, that
• Exodus, xii, 26, 27.
190 DnTIBS OF A CHRISTIAN.
we may merit a participation in the happiness which thej
now enjoy ; and we should pray them to intercede for us
with God, that we may obtain the graces necessary to se-
cure our perseverance in his holy service.
The impious Nicanor. that furious enemy of God's people,
having resolved to attack the Jews on the Sabbath day,
" the Jews that were constrained to follow him, said : Do
not act so fiercely and barbarously, but give honor to the
day that is sanctified ; and reverence Him that beholdeth
all things." Then " that tmhappyman, " puffed up with
an opinion of his own greatness and power, "asked, if
there were a Mighty One in Heaven, that had commanded
the Sabbath day to be kept. And when they answered :
There is the living Lord himself in Heaven, the Mighty
One, that commanded the seventh day to be kept. Then
he said : And I am mighty upon the earth, and I command
you to take arms, and to do the king's business But
Machabeus ever trusted with all hope, that God would help
them. And he exhorted his people not to fear the coming
of the nations, .... and now to hope for victory from the
Almighty." Meanwhile, " Nicanor, and they that were
with him, came forwai'd with trumpets and songs, " and
commenced the fight. But in punishment of his impiety
his great army was totally overthi'own by a handful, under
the command of the valiant Judas. Nicanor himself was
slain, with thirty-five thousand of his men, and his blasphe-
tnous tongue cut out, and given by pieces to birds. —
2Maohabees, ch. xv«
Exercises— 1. What does the First Precept of the Church ordain Y—
2. How are the feasts, instituted by the Church, divided? — 3. 'What
sentimenU should the remembrance of the mysteries celebrated on the
feasts of our Lord excite in us ? —4- Why are there feasts in honor of
the saints ? — 5. On what model have the festivals of the Christian
Church been instituted ? — 6. What should we do to sanctify the feasts
pf the Church ?
THE HEARING OP MASfc. 191
SECTION II.
Of the Hearing of Mass.
Of all the works of piety by which we can sanctify Sundays
and holydays, the hearing of Mass is, certainly, the first,
and the most indispensable. The Church has expressly
commanded it. Sacrifice is the noblest act of religion, and
that which renders to God the most perfect homage. The
obligation of assisting at Mass, on every day consecrated
to his worship, is coeval with Christianity. We read in the
Acts of the Apostles, that on the first day of the vv-eek, tha
faithful assembled for the brealdng of bread, that is, to
offer the holy Victim, and to participate thereof. To satisfy
this obligation, we must not only be present in body, but
must hear the Mass with attention, respect and piety. We
should unite ourselves with the Priest, who speaks to God
in the name of all who assist at the holy Sacrifice, and
offer ourselves in union with Jesus Christ, and the whole
Church. To be wilfully distracted at Mass, to look curious-
ly about, or to indulge in conversation, would not be hear-
ing Mass, nor fulfilling the precept of the Church: it
would be offering an outrage to Jesus Christ, that is, re-
newing the opprobriuxTis of Calvary, and dishonoring
reUgion. We should, therefore, occupy ourselves in prayer,
during the whole time of Mass, and we would do well to
use a book, a beads, or some other means of fixing the at
tention.
To sanctify the Sundays and holydays, the hearing of
Mass alone is not sufficient ; we should also assist, if in our
power, at some of the other exercises of the Church, — as
vespers, sermon, &c. ; and should spend some time in
prayer, pious reading, and in performing some of the
spiritual or corporal works of mercy : instructing the
ignorant in the way of salvation is specially recommended.
The Church, in placing the hearing of ]\Iass as the first
duty of religion, does not exempt us from the others ; and
if she enforces more strictly this obligation, it is only be-
192 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
cause it is the most important, and that which, wittiout
sti'ong reasons, can never be dispensed with.
The persecutions which the Christians underwent, did
not prevent them from celebi-ating the feasts of the
Church. A Chi'istian young lady was on her way to the
assembly of the faithful, when one of the Emperor Diocle-
sian's guards perceiving her, was struck witli her modesty.
He went rudely up to her, and said, "Stop ! — whither
are j'^ou going?" Fearing, from the tone of liis voice, that
he intended to insult her, she made, on her foreliead, the
sign of the ci'oss, in order to obtain the aid of divine grace.
The soldier, deeming himself aflronted by her silence,
seized her viol en tV, and said, "Speak: who are you?
whither are you going? " She courageously replied, " [am
a servant of Jesus Christ, and am going to the assembly of
the Lord." " You shall not go," said he ; " you must sac-
rifice to the gods : to-day we worsliip the sun ; you must
worship him with us." He then attempted to pull ofr' the
veil wMch covered her face. Tliis she endeavored to pre-
vent, and said, " Wretch, Jesus Chi-ist will punish you ! "
At these words, the soldier became furious, and, drawing
Jiis sabre, plunged it into the heart of the Christian virgin.
She fell, bathed in her blood, but her holy soul flew to
Heaven, there to receive an unfading crown of glory.—
Fleury.
Exercises- — 1. What works of piety should especially claim our
attention on Sundays and holydays ? — 2. Show that the obligation of
assisting at Mass on those days is coeval with Christianity .—3.1s it
enough to be present at Mass in body '! — 4 How should we be occu-
pied while assisting at Mass ? — 5. Is the hearing of Mass alone suffi-
cient to sanctify Sundays and holydays ?
SECTION III
2nd precept. — " TO FAST AND ABSTAIN ON THE DAYS
COMMANDED."
Of Fasting and Abstinence.
The Church commands us to fast during the entu-e Lent,
on three days of each season of the year, called quarter
FASTING AND ABSTINENOE. 193
tense, and on the vigils or eves of certain solemn feasts.
Fasting consists in taking but one meal in the day, and
abstaining from flesh meat.
The fast oi' Lent is of the liighest antiquity, and its insti-
tution dates even from the time of the Apostles. It was
established to imitate the foi'ty days' fast of our Lord in
the desert, and to prepare us for Avorthily celebrating the
feast of Easter. It has been observed in every age since
the establishment of the Christian religion, and has been
\ept with greater rigor than the other fists. The early
Christians added to their fast longer prayers than ordinary,
more abundant alms, watcliings, and great recollection.
The fast of quarter tense, or einher days, was established to
consecrate to penance the four seasons of the year, to draw
down the divine blessings on the fruits of the earth, and to
beg of God to give good Priests to his Church ; for it is at
these seasons, that persons destined to exercise the august
functions of the sacred ministry, receive Holy Orders.
Vigils are the days which precede the principal feasts.
They are called by this name, because, on the eve of great
feasts, the faithful formerly assembled in the churches, and
spent a part of the night in watching, in singing the praises
of God, and in reading pious books, as is still observed
in some places on the eve of Christmas. The faithful fast
on these days, to dispose themselves to celebrate well the
coming festival, and thus receive a larger share of the
graces which God bestows on his Church in these holy times.
The law of fasting is imposed only on such of the faith-
ful as have completed the twenty-first year of their age ;
and many, even of those, are dispensed with ; some on
account of infirmity or sickness ; others on account of their
laborious employments ; others, again, on account of their
old age, &c. Any necessary dispensation of this kind can
be had by application to the Bishop, or to those whom he
may have empowered to grant it. To violate, without neces-
sity, the command of the Church, would be to disobey God
hunself, in whose name the Church commands us ; for
although there are many Chi-istians who, without any legit-
imate cause, transgress the precept of fasting, yet the law
194 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
Btill subsists in all its vigor ; nor do the multitude of
transgressors either nullify or weaken the obligation. The
law of fasting, it is true, does not oblige those who have
not arrived at the age of twenty-one, yet such pex'sons are
strongly recommended to exercise themselves in this
mortification, by retrenching some little of their ordinary
meals, or, at least, by depriving themselves of some grati-
fication, the privation of which would not be prejudicial to
health. The same may be said of persons beyond that age,
whose intirmities or avocations exempt them from the
obhgation of fasting ; and they ought, by other good Avorks,
and by union of heart and mind with the faithful in then-
penitential exercises, endeavor to supply for theii- non-
observance of the fast.
The Church forbids the use of flesh meat on Friday, in
each week, in order to enfeeble the passions bymortifjdng
the body, as well as to expiate our sins, and preserve within
us the spu'it of i^enance, wliich Jesus Christ so strongly
recommends, and which is, as it were, the -abridgment of
the divine morality. We are smners, and are, therefore,
obliged to do penance ; we are sick, and we ought to labor
for our cure ; we have sins to expiate, and it is by works
of mortification that they can be expiated, and the divme
'ustice satisiled ; we have passions to subdue, and it is by
retrenclaing what serves only to gratify them, that we can
overcome them. The Church, knowing our want of this
remedy, and that we have a repugnance to use it, comes
to the help of our weakness, and gives an express com-
mand, in order to determine our will more efucaciously to
submit to it. But, besides tliis general view, the Ciiurch,
in imposing upon us the Liw of abstinence, lins particular
reasons also, of wliich we should not brj ignorant. Friday
has always been, with her, a day of penance and mortifica-
tion, because it was on that day that Jesus-Christ died to
redeem us, and it is just that we should participate ui his
sufferings, if we aspire to share in the grace of his redemp-
tion.
For this reason, in the primitive Church, every Friday
was a fast day : but this fast was afterwards reduced to a
KASTLNG AND ABSTINENCE. 195
simple abstinence, and the Church made it a law, to which
every Christian is bound to submit. Children, even, are
not exempt from this law, when they can observe it ; and
nothing less than real necessity can dispense with it before
God. When this necessity exists, it must be made known
to the person's own pastor, whom the Church has invested
with power to release from that obligation. Let no one,
therefore, sutfer himself to be imposed upon by the sophis-
tries of the impious, who, making an erroneous api^lica-
tion of the words of Scripture, say, that it is not meat which
deiileth a man.* The distinction of meats does not, indeed,
of itself, honor God ; but it does not thence follow that it
is a matter of indifference whether we obey or disobey the
authority which He himself has established ; or whether
we keep alive or extinguish the spirit of penance which
He has so strongly recommended. Let us not imitate those
who, for no reason, or under the slightest pretext, allow
themselves the use of meat on days of abstinence . The
more common this disorder is, the more should we deplore
it, that we may not be drawn into the torrent by the bad
example, which we daily witness. So cruninal a violation
of an unportant precept betrays great weakness of faith,
and indifTereuce to salvation on the part of those who are
guilty of it.
ACathoUc who had led a very criminal life, happened to
read a book entitled The History of Fasting. He was par-
ticularly struck at learning hov/ rigorously this duty was
observed in the primitive ages of the Church, and thus
reproached himself : " I call myself a Chi'istian, and I have
never fasted : had I lived when the penitential canons were
enforced to the letter, to how many years of fasting should
I not have been condemned, for the numberless sins which
I have committed ! The first Chiistians had no collation
on their fasting days ; all abstained from wine ; and a
great number contented themselves with bread and water ;
nor did they, before it was evening, take their only meal."
What he had read made so deep an impression upon
• Matthew, xv, 11.
196 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
him, that it never escaped his memory, and constantly
gave bii'th to new reflections. God, m the end, touched
his heart. Penetrated with a lively son-ow for his sins, he
determined to submit to the most rigorous penanco. With
tliis design, he entered an austere monastery, where he
observed the strictest silence, fasted continually with the
utmost rigor, lay on a hard bed, and interrupted liis sleep,
during a great portion of the night, to sing the praises of
God. — Lasausse.
In a city of France, a chUd, whose parents were strangers
to the practice of religion, was preparing himself to receive,
for the first time, the holy Sacrament of the Altar ; and as
it was usual in his parents' house to eat meat every day,
without distinction, he accused himself of this with his
other sins. His confessor gave him suitable directions for
his futm-e conduct, and these the child promised faithfully
to obey.
His fidelity was soon tested : the Friday following, meat
was served up, which, on being presented to him, he mod-
estly refused, alleging the prohibition of the Church, and
expressing, at the same time, his desire of apiece of bread
instead. His father, enraged at his refusal, mhumanly order-
ed him to be shut up without a morsel of food till the follow-
ing day. The poor child submitted mthout complaint, and
without betrajang the least ill-humor. His mother although
as u'religious as her husband, felt compassion for him, and
towards evening, carried to liim privately some food,
reprehending him, at the same time, for his opposition to
his father's wishes and to her own. " Dear mother," replied
the excellent boy, " had my father commanded me any-
thing, the performance of which is not unlawful, I would
have cheerfully obeyed : and although I refused to comply
with his %vishes, it certainly was not thi-ough obstuiacy. He
ordered me to remain here till to-morrow without food';
this I can do without sin. Then you will not be displeased,
I hope, at my not accepting what you have been so good
as to bring me. "
His mother, astonished at hearing him give expression
to sentiments so reUgious and respectful, could not restmin
ANNUAL CONFESSION. 197
her tears, and going instantly to her husband, related
what she had just hoai-d. Struck with admiration, ha
mingled his tears with hers; and both acknowledged
that their son was more rational and virtuous than them-
selves. Then entering the room in which he was confined,
tlie father tenderly embiaced him, expressed his regret at
having treated him with such severity, and inquired who
had instructed and so prudently advised him. Being in-
formed, he, shortly after, waited on the confessor to testify
to him his gi\atitude for the care he had taken of his son,
and begged him to hear his own confession. Thencefor-
ward, he was as remarkable for his strict observance of the
laws of the Church, as he had before been for his neglect of
them ; and his wife became equally devout and observant.
Happy child, that thus opened his parents' eyes to the
dangci-s of the course they were pursuing, and led them
into the secure way of obedience and mortii'ication ! —
Marguet.
Exercises.— 1. What does the Church command by the ''econd Pre-
cept ? — 2. In what ciocs fastins consist ? — 3. When and why was fast-
ing established ? — 4. Why the fast of quarter tense ?— 5. What a;e
vigiU, and why are they so called ? — ij. Why do the faithx"ul fast </a
those days? — 7. On whom is the law of fasting imposed ?— 8. Why
does the Church torbid the use of flash meat on Friday ? — 9. Has she
any particular reasons for imposing this law of abstinence ? — 10. What
does the violation of this precept betray ?
SECTION IV.
3rd precept — " TO CONFESS OUR SINS AT LEAST ONCE
A YEAR."
Of Annual Confession.
By this precept, the Church commands, that from the
time at which we come to the use of reason, that is, when
we become capable of distinguishing good from evil, we
confess our sins at least once a yeai-. The Church intends,
by this wise regulation, to place bounds to the negligence
of those bad Cathol'-cs who would persevere in their
criminal habits, and pass several years without approach-
198 DUTIES OF A OEEEUSTIAN.
ing the tribunal of Penance. To fulfil this precept, we
must present ourselves at least once a year at the tribunal
of Penance, and make an humble confession of our sina
to an approved Priest.
Although the Church, through condescension, does not
command confession ofiener than once in the year, lest
she should dishearten those to whom this duty might ap-
pear painful and difficult, yet she ardently desires that we
have recoui'se to it much more frequently, and she testifies
this desu-e by the words, at least, which she has added to
the precept. To receive the sacrament of Penance once
within the year, does indeed, where there is no special law
or custom requiring more frequent confession, satisfy the
obligation which the Church imposes, but it does not cor-
respond with her intention or satisfy her desire, particu-
larly when a person has had the misfortune to commit
mortal sin. God obliges all who are conscious of being in
this unhapppy state, not to defer their conversion. " De-
lay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from
day to day ; for his wrath shall come on a sudden, and in
the time of vengeance He will destroy thee."* They must,
therefore, retm-n immediately to God by repentance, and
wash away the defilement of sin in the sacrament of Pen-
ance. The precept of the Church, far from dispensing with
this obligation, has for its special object to prevent us from
remaining in sin, which is a wound inflicted on the soul.
But when a person has received a wound, does he neglect
for any long time to apply a remedy ? Sin is a malady,
more dangerous than any that can affect the body. When
the body is attacked by sickness, do we delay an entire year
to call in the physician ? And is it not exposing one's seli
to die in mortal sin, to pass almost one's whole life in that
alarming state ? Experience shows that confession made
but once a year, is not sufficient for us, if we would lea<:i a
Chrisiian life. Those who confine themselves to one con-
i'ession in the year, are almost always engaged in criminal
habits, which they are not sincerely desu-ous of overcoming.
Many, it is to be feared, make even this confession badly,
• Boclus.. V, 8, 9.
AJfNUAL CONFESSION. 199
and such persons do not comply with the command of the
Church ; for, at the same tune that she makes Annual Con-
fession imperative on her children, she obliges them to
bring thereto the dispositions necessary for deriving frmt
from it. To approach the sacrament of Penance without
having made a due examination of conscience, and without
true sorrow, is so far from fulfilling the precept of the
Church, that it adds a new sin, a sacrilege, to our former
load of guilt. The Church has not fixed the precise time of
the year at which this confession should be made ; but,
as it is commanded in the same canon with the Paschal
Communion, we may infer that she desires it should be
made about the time of Lent, and thus serve as a prepara-
tion for Easter Communion. It is advisable that a person
present himself at the holy tribunal of Penance, in the
early part of Lent, in order that his confessor may advise
him as to how he should prepare for that important action.
Venerable Bede, in his History of England, relates that
Conrad, a pious pi-ince, had among his courtiers a noble-
man, to whom, on account of his great services, he was
much attached, but who, notwithstanding the earnest en-
treaties of the prince, remained several years without ap-
proaching the sacred ti-ibunal of Penance. Being attacked
with a very dangerous illness, the Idng visited him, and
implored hinn to send for a confessor, but could not prevail
on him to do so Visiting him a second time, he found him
at the last extremity, and conjui'ed him not to die without
seeking reconciUation with God. The unfortmiate man,
having remained some tune without replying, at length
looked at the king in the most frightful manner, and said,
'* It is no longer time ; I am lost : hell is my portion for
eternity !" Pronouncing these awful words, he expired in
unpenitence and despair.
A Clergyman, speaking to his flock on the folly of delay-
ing their conversion, related to them the following parable.
On my way hither to exercise the duties of my rainistry, I
beheld a most aflflicting spectacle, — a young man thi'own
precipitately on the highway, his carriage broken, and ha
200 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
himself, though not dead, yet suffering, in every member
of his body, intense torture. The people approached him,
sympathized with him, and besought him to accept the aid
of a physician. " A physician !"' said he ; " yes; at Easter
I shall have a physician !" Judge of the astonishment of
the spectators : they imagined he had lost his senses. Be
not surprised, my brethren, when I ask you, are not you
like this unfortunate, fooHsh man ? HavQ you not been
running precipitately in the way of vice ? have you not
even suffered a dreadful fall ; your more noble part — your
soul — is it not more than wounded ? is it not dead ? We
speak to you of a physician who is all-powerful, not of
himself, but through the mission he has received from God,
and who can bring that soul again to life ; and you say,
" At Eastei' — at Easter, I will have recourse to the physi-
cian. And how many are there among you, dearest breth-
ren, who do not put even this limit to their delay?" This
comparison made a lively impression on the minds of the
auditors, many of whom approached, soon after, the tribu-
nal of Penance. — Merault.
Exercises- — 1 What obligations arc imposed on us by the Third
Precept of the Church ? — 2. Why does the Church command us to
confess o< ?east once a year ? — 3. Will one confession per year suffice
for persons who would lead a Christian life ? — 4. Will confession with-
out the necessary dispositions, fulfil the precept of Annual Confession ?
—5. At what time is this confession to be made ?
SECTION V.
4tu. precept. — " TO RECEIVE WORTHILY THE BLESSED
EUCHARIST AT EASTER, OR WITHIN THE
TIME APPOINTED."
Of the Paschal Communion.
The Church, by this precept, ordains, that each one of
the faithful should receive, at Easter, or within a certain
Bpeciiied time, the holy Sacrarnent of the Eucharist, and
that in b3-'=i own parish ohnif.b „. i;^ -^e apnroved by his
THB PASCHAL OOMMUOTON. 201
lawful superior for that purpose ; and she thi'eatens with
'excommunication all who neglect to comply with this im-
j^)ortant obligation.
Children who have made their First Communion are
obliged to observe tliis precept. What occasioned the
Church to make tliis law, was the indifference sho^vn by
many Clu-istians for this august sacrament, notwithstand-
ing the declaration of our Lord, " Except you eat the
flesh of tht- Son of Man, and drmk his blood, you shall not
have life in you.''* The primitive Christians communicated
frequently ; they considered the Holy Eucharist as the
daily bread of the children of God ; they felt no sorrow
more sensibly than that caused by their being deprived of
tliis divine food. Soon, however, charity began to grow
cold ; the holy table to be less frequented ; and many, for
several years, neglected to receive it. To prevent so great
a disorder, the Church requires all her children, under
severe penalties, to receive the Holy Communion, at least,
at Easter or thereabout. And although she obliges us to
one Communion only in the year, y«t she desir-es that we
approach oftener ; for example, on the solemn festivals.
The Church, in the Council of Trent, declares that it
would be desirable that all the faithful should, in order to
partake more abundantly of the fruits of the adorable Sac-
rifice of the Mass, communicate when they assist at it. By
communicating at Easter only, we indeed comply with the
precept of the Church, but not with her wishes. In effect,
it is difiScult that one Communion in the year, should pre-
serve and strengthen the spiritual life of the soul ; it is
even to be feared that a person, by maldng only one, does
not satisfy the precept, since he exposes himself to
communicate unworthily j and a bad Communion, so far
from satisfying the obligation of the precept, is a horrible
sacrilege, and an outrage on the Church.
The Church commands us to communicate with respect ;
and this respect consists, principally, in bringing to the holy
table a conscience free from mortal sin. For this reason,
she permits the Paschal Communion to be delayed for some
• Joha, vi, 54-
202 DUTIES OP A CHRISTIAN.
time, when there appears a just and reasonable cause ] and,
certainly, no cause can be more just and reasonable than
when time is needed for being prepared to approacli with
purity of conscience. Tlie time granted for this purjjose
should, however, be employed in making due preparation,
and eveiy effort made even to abridge it; for, although
the specified time for compliance for all the faithful may
have passed, the obligation of communicating subsists so
long as the precept is not compUed with.
A man who had been leading a very irregular life, waited
on his parish-priest, and told liim he was desirous of coiji-
plj'ing with his Easter duty. The pastor applauded his
good intention, but desired him to remember, that the
precept required that he should receive worihili/, and,
therefore, that that part of it should be strictly attended
to. '*' I wish," said the man, '• to communicate to-mori'ow."
"I have reason to believe," said the Priest, "you are not
sufficiently disposed to do so. I never see you at Mass
either on Sundays or holydays ; I have been told you fre-
quently work on those days, and that you are altogether
regardless of the fasts of the Church." "I fast always on
Good-Friday, su'," said the man. "Yes," replied the
pastor, " and you drink to intoxication on other days, and
you have instructed your children so well, that they curse
and swear like yourself." " Sir," said the parishioner, " I
acknowledge that I have been very wicked, but I wish to
confess, and to receive Communion at the time prescribed."
" Your confession," replied the pastor, " may commence
forthwith, but as to the Paschal Communion, you cannot
be permitted to receive it until you shall have amended
your life." — ^Lasausse.
Exercises. — 1. What does the Church ordain by this precept ? —
2. ^Yhat occasioned the Church to mako this law ? —.3. How did the
primitive Christians approach tlio holy table ? — 4 Do we comply with
the wishes of the Church in communicating at Easter only? — 5. Why
not?— 6. To fulfil the Pourth Precept oT the Church, in what disposition
are we to communicate ?
aUPPORTIlIO OUR PASTORS. 203
SECTION VI.
5th precept — " TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUPPORT OF
OUR PASTORS."
Of Supporting our Pastors.
The Fifth Precept of the Church ordains, that we con-
tribute to the support of our pastors, since they dedicate
their whole time and labor to the spiritual welfare of our
soul. That the pastors of the Church, who are rendering
spii-itual assistance to the faithful, should receive from
them what is requisite for a decent supply of then* corporal
wants, is no more than common justice. Having renounced
every means of procuring their livelihood, in order to con-
secrate themselves to their sacred functions, they have a
just and natui'al right to be maintained by those, to whose
service they dedicate their time and labor.
No sooner had God instituted a religion among the
Israelites, than He made choice of the tribe of Levi for his
own Immediate service, and to be the Priests and pastors
of his people. Having made this selection. He ordained
that the tenth part of whatever belonged to the people
should be consecrated to Him. " And the Lord said to
Aaron : Behold I have given thee the charge of my first
fruits. All things that are sanctified by the children of
Israel, I have delivered to thee and to thy sons for the
priestly office, by everlasting ordinances. And I have
given to the sons of Levi, all the tithes of Israel for a pos-
session, for the ministry wherewith they serve Me."*
When our Lord sent the Apostles to preach, he express-
ly ordained this duty: ''Go," said he, ''behold, I send
you as lambs among wolves Into whatsoever house
you enter in the same house remain, eating and
drinking such things as they have } for the laborer is
worthy of his hire."t "Know you not," says St. Paul,
inculcatmg the same obligation, " that they who work in
the holy place, eat the things that are of the holy place ;
• Nnmbers, xviii, 8, 21. t Luke, x, 3, 5, 7.
204 DUTIES OF A OHKISTIAN.
and they that serve the altar, partake with the altar ? So
also the Lord ordained, that they who preach the Gospel,
should hve by the Gospel."*
So well was this injunction of the Apostle — " Let him
that is mstructed in the word, communicate to liiTn that
instructeth him, in all good things,"! — obeyed in the prim-
itive ages of Chi'istianity, that, as Ecclesiastical History in-
forms us, the voluntary offerings of the people were amply
suflScient to supply their Pastors vsdth a decent support.
But in process of tune, the love of the world and its vanities
becoming predominant among many of the faithful, they
grew remiss in the performance of this duty. And as our
divine Lord had ordauied, in general terms, that " they
who preach the Gospel, shouldUve by the Gospel," without
specifying what proportion of their worldly substance the
people were to contribute, the Church interposed her au-
thority, and framed laws on this subject. These laws have
been confirmed by the civil powers of all Chiistian states,
but have been modified to suit the different dispositions
and circumstances of the people.
Exercises-— 1. What does tho Fifth Precept of the Church ordain ?—
2. Why is it just to support our Pastors ? — 3. Show that Qod mad© a
law, for the support of those whom Ho had chosen for his immediat*
service. — 4. By what words does our Lord expressly ordain this duty ?
— 5. What does St. Paul say on this subject ?
SECTION VII.
6th precept. — " NOT TO SOLEMNIZE MARRIAGE AT THE
FORBIDDEN TIMES, NOR TO MARRY PERSONS VvItHIN
THE FORBIDDEN DEGREES OF KINDRED, OR OTHERWISE
PROHIBITED BY THE CHURCH, NOR CLANDESTINELY."
Laws relating to Marriage.
The Sixth Precept of the Church prohibits marriage to
be solemnized in certain penitential seasons ; namely, from
the lirst Sunday of Advent to the expiration of Twelfth-
• 1 Cor., X, la, U. f Gal., vi, ».
LAWS RELATING TO SLAJRRLiOR. 205
day ; and from Ash-Wednesday to Low Sunday, both
included.
All manldnd have an aversion to marriages between
persons who are neai'ly related. The Church determines to
what degree of Idndred the prohibition of such marriages
is to be extended ; and it is fixed to the fourth degi-ee.
Brothers and sisters are in the lii-st degree of kindi-ed ; the
the children of brothers and sisters are in the second degree,
and are called cousins-german ; the children of cousins-
german are in the thu-d degree ; and the children of these
last are in the fourth degree of kindred, — being four steps
from the common stock, in which the parties are united in
the same father and mother. The Church also prohibits
marriage to be contracted between those who are connected
by aflOnity from lawful marriages within the same degrees.
There are circumstances in which it may not be improper
to dispense with the rigor of this law ; for, where there exists
a power of making laws, there exists a power of dispensing
with them. But a dispensation should not be sought with-
out good cause.
Clandestine marriages are neither valid nor binding before
God or the Church, wherever the decree of the Council of
Trent relating to such marriages has been published and
received. The Church declares every marriage Clandestine,
unless the man or woman's parish Priest, or a Priest with
his or the Bishop's leave, is present thereat, together with
two or three witnesses. Every clandestine marriage is
grievously sinful, and those who contract, solemnize, or
witness, such marriages, are sharers in the guilt.
Exercises. — 1- What does the Sixth Precept of the Church prohibit ?
—2. To what degree of kindred is the prohibition of marriage extended V
- 3- Are clandestine marriages valid or binding before God or the
Church ?
206 DtrriES op a christian.
CHAPTER Xril.
Of Sin.
Sin, which is a wilftil transgression or violation of the law
of God, is the greatest of all evils, since it is offensive to
God, who is the Sovereign Good. It is, moreover, a mon-
strous ingratitude : for, by sin, we offend a God who created
us, who preserves us, and who daily bestows upon us new
blessings. What turpitude for the sinner, so cherished, to
outrage the best and tenderest of fathers I To comprehend
still better the enormity of sin, let us consider what its ex-
piation cost our divine Redeemer ; for this reflection alone
is capable of exciting a lively honor of it. Reflect also on
the terrible chastisements with which God punishes it All
the evils in the universe, the miseries of life, sickness,
death, — all are the consequences of a single sin, the sin of
our first father.
Sin is divided into two kinds, original and actual. Orig-
inal sin is that which we inherit from our fu'st parents, and
in which we were all conceived and born. Actual sin is that
which we ourselves commit by the act and consent of our
OAvn will, after having come to the use of reason. Actual
sin may be committed in four waj^s ; by thoughts, words,
actions, and omissions. The law of God forbids not only
the bad action, but even the desire of it. It not only ar-
rests the hand and tongue, it regulates, also, the mind and
heart. It is in the heart that the disobedience commences ;
the heart is the source of sin, the words and actions are
only the exterior execution of what the heart dictates.
Of actual sin there are two kinds, mortal and venial. A
sin is mortal, when it is committed with full and deliberate
consent, in a matter of weight ; it is venial, when the
matter is light, or even when it is grave, if the consent is
not full and deliberate.
Mortal sin is the greatest of all evils. By it we lose sanc-
tifying grace and om- right to a heavenly inheritance. It
kills the soul by separating it from God, who is its life ; and
it renders us deserving of eternal damnation. When a per-
son has the misfortune of committing a mortal sin, h«
OF SIN. 2U7
becomes a slave of the devil, an enemy of God, and an
object of his hatred and eternal vengeance. Can any mis-
fortunes exceed these ? What, then, should be our horror
of mortal sin 1 With what care should we not avoid it I
Should we not be disposed to suffer every evil, that the mind
can conceive, or the body endui'e, rather than commit it !
" Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent — the teeth
thereof are the teeth of a lion, killing the souls of men."*
Were we to meet a sei'pent in our path, and had reason to
fear that we should be bitten or devoured, with what haste
would we not flee from it I Let us do as much, at least, for
the preservation of our soul, as we would for that of our
body. If we ever be so unhappy as to fall into mortal sin,
let us repent without delay, make frequent acts of heart-
felt sorrow and of the love of God, and go to confession as
soon as possible.
Venial sin, even, should be avoided with all possible care ;
for, although it does not deprive the soul of sanctifying
grace, nor deserve eternal damnation, it hurts the soul, di-
minishes its love for God, and renders it deservingof tem-
poral chastisement. Venial sin, though small in comparison
with mortal sin, is a great and pernicious evU, since it is
an offence voluntarily committed against a God of infinite
goodness and majesty. Moreover, venial sin leads the soul
insensibly to the gulf of mortal sin, according to the ex-
press declaration of the Holy Ghost, " He that contemnetb
small things, shall fall by little and little."! We should,
then, be careful not to commit the smallest sin deUberate-
ly, but should rather avoid, according to the precept of the
Apostle, even the very " appeai-ance of evil."
Wise and holy replies to s-inful proposals. " By sinning I
would disobey God, in order to obey the devil : — what
injustice, ingratitude, and folly 1" — "How, then, can I,"
gaid the Patriarch Joseph, " do this wicked thing, and sin
against my God ?"t — "It is better for me to fall into your
hands," and be put to death, " than to sin in the sight of
* Eoclus-, xxi, 2, 3. t Eoclus., xix, 1. t Gen., zzxix, 9.
208 DUTIES OF A OHRISTIAW.
the Lord,"* said the chaste Susanna. — "What wouldst
thou ask, or learn of us?" said the eldest of the seven
Machabees — " We are ready to die rather than transgress
the laws of God." t — "You propose that I revolt against
God by committing tliis sin ; but how will you indemnify
me, if I thereby lose my immortal soul?"' — " I have in God
a Master infinitely great, good, and liberal,, who has ever
loved me, and has promised me eternal life, glory, and
felicity ; — and you would wish me to disobey, offend,
abandon, and outrage Him ; to declare myself his enemy,
and consent to incur his anger, indignation, and ven-
geance !"
'"Speak not to me of sinning, till you can show me a
place where God cannot behold me, where He cannot de-
prive me of life in an instant, and precipitate my soul into
hell."
Exercises. — 1. WLat is sin ? — 2. How may we comprehend the
enormity of sin ? — 3. How many kinds of sin are there ? — 4. In how
many ways may actual sin be committed? — 5- How many binds of
actual sin are there ? — 6. When is a sin mortal, and when, venial ? —
7. Why is mortal sin the greatest of all evils ? — 8. What are the sad
consequences of mortal sin ? — 9. What should a person do who has had
the misfortune to fall into mortal sin-'.0.'?Should we carefully avoid
venial sin ? — 11. Repeat some of the replies made by persons who were
solicited to commit sin-
CHAPTER XIV.
OF THE CAPITAL SINS.
All the sins which men commit are ordinarily reduced
to seven, which are called capital, because they are, as it
were, the som"ce,or principle of all other sins. The capital
sins are 2)1' ide, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and
sloth.
Parable. A young man, crossing a certain forest, was
attacked liy a frightful monster, having a body like a lion,
and seven heads lilve that of the serpent. The monster
sprang towards him from its den, its seven heads erect, its
eyes sparkling like fire, and made the air resound with its
OF PRIDB. 209
horrible hissings. The young man, not in the least discon-
certed, stood firmly, and taking the axe which, according
to the custom of the country, hung at his side, he, at one
blow, struck off four of its heads. At a second blow, he
cut off two of the remaining heads ; and then, seeing the
monster apparently dead, he departed, thinking it need-
less to cut off the seventh. But he had not gone forward
many paces when the monster, already reanimated, darted
furiously upon him, and dragging him to its den, devjpured
him.
This monster represents the seven deadly sins, against
which we must light courageously with the arms of faith.
It is not sufficient to deprive it of six of its heads ; if you
leave it one, it will prove your rum. What would it avaii to
have conquered many Tpassions, ifyou permit o?ie to conquer
you ? Examine, then, if in fighting agamst this hydra, you
have left one head upon it ; for one will be sufficient to
destroy you. See if, in combating your passions, you have
not spared some favorite ; for a single vice, if cherished,
will be sufficient to cause your eternal destruction. The
victory, to be secure, must be complete. We must perse-
vere to the end in lighting, and must never grow weary of
the combat, nor must we take repose until we have defeated
every enemy. Should we act otherwise, we would expose
ourselves to be seized on when we deem ourselves most
secure, and dragged down into that abyss from which no
one rcttirns. — Giraudeau.
Exercises. — 1- Under what principal heads are all the sins that
men commit classed ? — 2. Show us by the example which you have
just read, the necessity of overcoming all our passions .
SECTION [.
Of Pride.
Pride is an inordinate, or disorderly, esteem and love of
ourselves, which leads us to prefer ourselves to others, and
to refer everything to ourselves, and not to God. This
vice is highly offensive to God, because by it we give glory
to ourselves on account of his gifts, instead of referring
210 DUTIES OF A OIIKISTIAN.
all the glory to Him, from whom they have been receiv&d.
"What hast thou," says St. Paul, " that thou hast not re-
ceived ? And if thovi hast received, why dost thou glory, as
if thou hadst not received it ? "'* From this vice spring vani-
ty and an inordinate desire of esteem and joraise. The
proud man desh-es to be admired and applauded for what-
ever he does. When he has obtained the approbation of
men, he is content ; he receives flattery with avidity and
pursi^es it with eagerness. Pride endeavors carefully to hide
our defects, and affects the possession of virtues, to which
we are strangers ;it induces us to seek continually to draw
upon us the public gaze, and to appear better than we really
are. From it proceeds contempt of our neighbor. The ele-
vated opinion which it causes us to entertainof ourselves and
ofour merits, leads us to despise others, and, believing our-
selves their superiors, to treat them and speak to them with
haughtiness and disdain. From pi'ide also comes disobe-
dience. The proud man will not submit to the orders of
superiors; he disregards then- advice ; the exercise of their
authority over him pains and angers him ; nor does he
even beUeve that he ought to obey. Pride makes us for-
getful of our eternal interests ; it causes us to ne^ect
totally the care of our soul. Its continual care is to deck
out the body with worldly adornments, and to exhibit this
idol of flesh and blood in every ch'cle, in oi der to attract
the admiration of beholders. Even decency and good
manners are sometimes sacrificed to the pretended claims
of fashion and custom. Oh, how detestable is the vice of
pride ! How carefully we ought to avoid it ! " Never suffer
pride to reign in thy mind, or in thy words," says the
venerable Tobias, "for from it all perdition took its begin-
ning."! " Pride is hateful before God and men: "| and
St. James declares, that "God resisteth the proud, and
giveth grace to the humble." §
Christian humility is the virtue opposite to pride, and is
the foundation of all virtues. ' The humble man is con-
scious of the fund of misery that is within him ; he despises
• 1 Corinthians, iv, 7- t Tobias, iT, 14. t Eoolus,, x, 7.
§ James, it, 6.
OF PRIDB.
211
himself, and is willing to be despised by others. If we
reflect upon what we really are, how many subjects of
humiliation do we not discover 1 Not to speak of the in-
lirmities of the body — that body which came forth from
dust, and that into dust shall quickly return — let us direct
our attention to the state of our soul. What do we behold?
Ignorance in the mind ; corruption in the heart ; an in-
clination to evil; inconstancy in good 1 Of ourselves we are
nothingness and sin ; and whatever we have good and
laudable, as the endowments of mind and body, the gifts of
nature and grace, are all derived from God. A man deeply
impressed with this truth is far from being proud of him-
self, he is far from seeking vain applause or empty honors,
if he perceives good qualities in himself, he refers the
glory of them to God : he reflects more upon his bad than
upon his good qualities, and humbles himself for them in
the presence of God. Happy the humble of heart, because
upon such shall be showered the blessings of the Lord 1
But woe to the haughty and presumptuous, for they shall
be covered with everlasting confusion !
Proud of a title which he dishonored by his vices, a noble-
man, wishing to humble a man of low extraction, but of
great merit, reproached him with the meanness of his
birth. Far from being irritated, the good and sensible
man said, with a smile, "If my origin dishonors me, you
certainly dishonor your origin." Leai-n, hence, to respect
virtue wherever it is found, and never forget that true
merit depends on our conduct, not on our possessions or
our station.
Exercises. — 1. AVhat is prido ?— 2. Trace the portrait of the proud
man. — 3. What are the principal effects of this vice ? — 4. To whom ia
pride odious?— 5. What virtue is opposed to pride? — 6. On what
ihould we reflect to combat pride ?
212 DtTTIEa OF A CHRISTIAN.
SECTION II.
Of Covetousness, or Avarice.
Avai'ice is an iaordinate, or disorderly, attachment to tlia
goods of the earth. It is not a sin to possess riches ; but
it is sinful to set our heart upon them, to seek them with
eagerness, to j)lace our happiness in them, or to employ
unlawful means to acquire them.
Avarice produces forgetfulness of God, and indifference
to salvation. He who is solely intent on amassing temporal
goods, has transferred his affections from God to them,
and is little affected with the desire or hope of eternal
treasures. The avaricious man is a stranger to compassion,
and callous to the miseries of his chstressed fellow-crea-
tures. His avarice renders him insensible, even, to his own
wants ; he prefers his money to his health, nay, even to
life itself; he deprives himself of necessaries, lest he should
dimmish his adored treasure ; he accumulates riches, with-
out making use of them ; he is indigent, in the midst of
wealth ; he is in want of all things, in the midst of abun-
dance. What folly ! What infatuation !
This vice, in fine, produces duplicity. The avaricious
man, that he may possess what he covets, emploj^s lying,
fraud, and injustice. No one is more unjust than he who
loves money : " Such a one,"' says the Holy Ghost, " setteth
even his own soul to sale."* He who is enslaved to this
passion, is no longer influenced b^ good faith, honor, or
conscience; he becomes unjust, violent, — an impostor; he
uses all means, even the most criminal, to augment his
hateful hoard, to which he has attached his heart; and
what is most deplorable is, that his attachment is strength-
ened with age. Time and reflection enfeeble other pas-
sions; but avarice seems to acquu-e new strength and
vigor as old age advances. The nearer the avaricious man
approaches that fatal moment, when he must quit all, the
more fondly does he cling to his liches, and the greater
precaution does he take for a future that to him, shall
• Eoelus., X, 10.
OOVETOUSJfESS, OR AVARICE. 21-3
never come. "Fool," says our Lorcl in his Gospel, "this
night do they i-equii-e thy soul of thee : and whose shall
those things be, which thou hast provided?"* Toothers
he shall leavo his riches : — a winding sheet, a cofSn, and a
grave, are all that shall remain to him.
Guard yourself vigilantly from a passion so dangerous.
Instructed in the school of Jesus Christ, "lay not up to
yourselves treasures on earth : . . . . but lay up to yourselves
treasures in Heaven; "t and endeavor to acquire the vir-
tue opposed to avarice. This virtue is a Christian detach-
ment from earthly things, whether we live in poverty or in
opulence, [f we are poor, let us not envy the rich, nor
desii'e then- possessions. The goods of this world are frail
and perishable, and can never fully satisfy the heart of
man. The just, though poor, are happier with the little
they possess, than the wicked, though in afBuence. "Fear
not, my son," said tho venerable old man Tobias; "we
lead mdeed a poor hfe, but we shall have many good things
if we fear God. "J "Having food and wherewith to be
covered," says St. Paul, "with these we are content."§ [f,
on the contrary, we are rich, let us remember that we shall
carry nothing out of this world; and let us give alms
abundantly, that we may thus have imperisliable riches
laid up for us in Heaven.
A man, who, in early life, had been liberal and generous,
at a later period, received a great increase of fortune,
became passionately fond of money, and thought of nothing
else than to increas his wealth. Tormented with the fear of
being robbed of liis treasure, he had a vault, with an invisi-
ble iron door, made in liis cellar. There he secretly depos-
ited his hoards of gold and silver, and thither he frequently
retired, to view those riches on which his heart was tixed.
On a certain day, when entering this gloomy retreat, he
forgot to draw the key out of the lock and take it with
him. When he had sufficiently indulged in the contempla-
tion of his wealth, he prepared to return ; but the door
• Lake, xii, 20. t Matt., vi, I'J, 2a : Tobias, iv, 23.
§ 1 Tim., vi, 8.
2? 4 DUTIES OP A OHKKTIAN.
was locked, and he found himself imprisoned within the
vault. Imagine his despair in this moment of horror. In
vain did he try to force the door ; in vain did he endeavor
to make his cries be heard. No one could hear his voice ;
no one was acquainted with his secret. His family, not
knowing what had become of him, were extremely uneasy.
They sought him in every part of the town and neighbor-
hood, but in vain ; and, at length, concluded that he had
come to some untimely end. Several vreeks after, a lock-
smith, who then resided in a distant town, hearing of the
event, recollected that this person had formerly given him
a secret order to make an iron door, with a spring lock ;
and it occurred to him, that the mihappy rnan might pos-
sibly have shut himself within, and so perished. He men-
tioned the circumstance to the family, and conducted
them to the spot where the secret door was placed. They
opened it and, to theu" utter astonishment, beheld the body
of the wi-etched man, half devom'ed by worms 1 The whole
mystery of his avarice was at once unfolded. They searched,
and found immense riches within the vault; " treasm'es
of wrath," in the sight of the Almighty, which the unhappy
miser had heaped together, for his own condemnation. —
Batjdraot).
Exercises.— 1. What is avarir^e ?— 2. What are the effects of avarice ?
— 3. Explain how avarice destroys every noble sentiment. — 4. Does this
passion become weaker with age ? — 5 What words of our divine Lord
show us the folly of attaching ourselves to riches ? — 6 Does wealth
secure happiness ?
SECTION III.
Of hast.
To conceive a horror of this shameful vice, consider its
unhappy effects, as enumerated when treating of the Sixth
Commandment. It is defined a criminal affection for those
pleasures which are contrary to Christian chastity.
Jesus Christ, whilst on earth, showed a particular love
for chastity, and for those who practised it. "Blessed,"
said he, in his sermon on the mount, " are the clean o.
1
OF LUST. 215
heart, for they shall see God."* The vii-tue of chastity
assimilates us to the angels ; nay, as St. Chrysostoin says,
it makes us even superior to the angels, by the victories
gained over the temptations of impurity, of which they
have no experienc3. " Chastity," according to the holy
Fathers, " is the ornament of manners, the honor of the
body, and the ground-work of sanctity." In fine, the
Scripture says, that " no price is worthy of a continent
soul."t Everything that is good may be expected from a
chaste youth ; because, as the spirit of God cannot dwell ia
impure hearts, so it takes delight to communicate itself to
chaste souls.
Vigilance and prayer are the safeguards of chastity.
" Watch ye, and pray," says Jesus Chi-ist, '' that you enter
not into teniptation."t Guard your eyes, that they may
not rest upon dangerous objects ; your eai's, that they may
not hearken to evil discourse ; your mind, by banisliing
therefrom all ideas and thoughts contrary to purity ; your
heart, by stifling bad desires in their very birth. ''Banish,"
says St. Bernard, " the wicked thought and whatever it
presents, at the very beginning. If you banish it, it will
leave you ; or, if it does not, it can do you no injury, so
long as you have a horror of it. The thought which is not
rejected, produces pleasure ; pleasure leads to consent ;
consent, to action ; action, to habit ; habit, to a kind of
necessity ; and necessity, to eternal death. ' '
In temptations against purity have recourse to God,
saying. Incline unto my aid, 0 God ; 0 Lord, 7nake haste to
help me ; or any of the forms previously recommended.
Pray often and fervently to be preserved from these temp-
tations, or for the grace to overcome them ; and for the
same end, recommend yourself frequently to the Mother
of God, the Queen of Virgins, and to your Guardian Angel
and holy patrons.
In a city of France there dwelt a young man, whose piety
ind good conduct excited general admiration, and served
as an example to persons of the same age. Going one
• Matt., V, 8. t Ecclus., xxvi, 19. I Mark, xiv, 38.
216 DUTIES OF A OHRISTIAK.
Sunday to the church to perform his accustomed devotions,
he was met by two of his fellow-students, who were fiir
less virtuous than himself. They invited him to accompany
them to a tavern not far distant, but he instantly rejected
the invitation. At length, however, overcome by their
soKcitations, he went or, rather, suffered himself to be
di-awn thither by them. Being seated, he,.in the beginning,
di'ank with great reluctance, afterwards with pleasure, and
then to excess. Finally, his passions being no longer under
command, he fell into a sin against purity, and, awful to
relate, he had no sooner cominitted it, than he was struck
dead ! — 0 God ! how terrible are thy judgments ! how
inscrutable are thy ways ! — Collet.
EXKKCisES- — 1- AVTiat is lust ? — 2. What are the charms and re •
compense of chastity ? — 3- What are the best means to preserve this
angelic virtue ? — 4- What instruction does St. Bernard give for its
preservation ?
SECTION IV.
Of Anger.
That anger is called holy, which, excited by zeal, impels
us to reprehend, in strong terms, those whom meekness
could not correct. Such is the anger of a father or a master,
at witnessing disorders which it is his duty to prevent. Our
blessed Lord was moved by this kind of anger, when he
drove from the temple, those who had violated its sancti^;
but the anger classed among the capital sins is not of this
character ; it is an impetuous motion of the soul, exciting
us to repress with violence what is displeasing to us. It
proceeds from a bad principle, ft-om some violent passion
existinsj in the heart, and which encounters some obstacle
to its gratification. The proud man, for example, is incensed
against whatever wounds his vanity or thwarts his ambi-
tion ; the avaricious is u-ritated when anything occm-s to
disarrange his projects of mcreasing his gain ; the volup-
tuary is indignant at whatever opposes his pleasures. This
anger is neither according to God, nor conformable to the
dictates of reason. Anger agitates the soul, and blinds the
OF ANGER. 217
understanding. The tumult which it excites interiorly,
manifests itself on the countenance and the whole exterior .-
the eyes redden ; the voice falters ; the body trembles ;
the soul vents its rage against the objects of its anger, in
words the most abusive, in slanders the most envenomed,
in calumny the most atrocious, in imprecations against
itself, in blasphemies against God ! In fine, no violence
however unwax'rantable, no cruelties however revolting, are
sufficient to satisfy the resentment of the angry nun , or
(o assuage his fury. Oh! how dreadful are the efl'ects of
this blmd passion ! We ought to accustom ourselves, from
time to time, to subdue the first motions of anger -, never
to speak a word in a moment of irritation ; and, continually,
to exercise ourselves in the practice of Christian meekness.
Meekness is a virtue which enables us to support, in a
spirit of submission and conformity to the wUl of God,
whatever contradictions or calamities befall us. It represses
sudden revolts and sallies of passion ; prevents us from
exhibiting any sign of impatience ; from suflfering disre-
spectful or complaining words to escape us, when thwarted
or provoked ; and, finally, it enables us to behave politely
and modestly, not only towards the good and gentle, but
also towards the ill-tempered and obstinate, whom it
teaches us to endeavor to gain by complaisance and acts
of kindness.
Rufinus relates that a certain solitary, beuig frequently
moved to anger in his monastery, said within himself, " I
will retire into the desert, where I shall have no intercourse
with men, and no longer be tempted to anger." He accord-
ingly withdrew into the desert, and took up his residence
in a cave. Congratulating himself one day on his happy
escape frona all occasions of anger, it happened that his
pitcher, which he had just fiUed with water, was, by acci-
dent, overturned. This happening a second, and even a
tlih'd time, so excited his predominant failing, that he took
the pitcher, and dashing it against the ground, broke it into
pieces. Keflecting afterwards on what he had done, ho
said: " The demon of anger has again triumphed over me ;
218 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
although I am alone in this desert, he has found means of
tempting me. Since, then, this passion accompanies me
everyTvhere, and that it must everywhere be combated, I
wUl tliis moment return to my monastery. — ^Vie des Peres
Du Desert.
Exercises. — 1. What is meant by a holy anger ?— 2- AVhatis the
character of the anger classed among the capital sins ? — 3. TVTiat does
this violent passion produce ? — 4. What are the fruits of meekness
and patienco which are opposed to anger ?
SECTION V.
Of Gluttony.
Gluttony is an inordinate love of eating and drinking.
To feel pleasui-e in the use of food is not forbidden ; aad,
since meat and drink are necessary for the preservation of
health and life, it is a wise dispensation of the Almighty
to season these aliments with an agreeable relish. We
abuse this benefit when, hi eating and drinking, we seek
sensual indulgence only, whereas our intention should be
to satisfy the necessity we are under of using food, in order
to be able to fulfil oui* duties, and to serve God. " Whether
you eat or drink," says the Apostle, "or whatsoever else
you do, do all to the glory of God."* To observe this lesson
of St. Paul, we must not, at om* meals, think only ol
gratifying the body, but of following the order of God's
providence ; for God wUls that we thus preserve our life.
To seek, in the use of food, merely to please the senses,
would be gluttony, — a vice unworthy of a rational being,
and one that debases the soul, clouds the intellect, ruins
the health, and shortens life. "Gluttony," as one of the
ancients has well remarked, " has kUled more than the
sword." It produces drunkenness and excess in eating —
vices which degrade a man below the very beasts of the
field, — but wliich the man who is truly polite, well educated,
and prudent, is ever careful to avoid. Gluttony, moreover,
produces sensuality, and begets a contempt for the laws o-
the Cliurch. A man enslaved to this vice is but little dif
• 1 Cor., X, 31.
OP GLOTTOWY. 219
posed to observe the fasts and abstinences of obligation :
he is a stranger to mortification ; those laws wliich pre-
scribe certain privations, he considers as an insuj^portable
burden ; upon the slightest pretext, he seeks dispensations
from them ; and, at length, he not only violates the precept
of fasting, but even uses, without remorse, forbidden
meats. In fine, gluttony produces dissension. From in-
temperance spring quan*els, rage, violence, and number-
less misfortunes. '•' Who," says the Scripture, "hath woe?
whose father hath woe ? who hath contentions ? who f;^lls
into pits ? who hath wounds without cause ? who hath
redness of eyes? Surely they that pass their time in wine,
ap.d study to drink off their cups."*
We ought to entertain the greatest horror of a vice so de-
grading and so unworthy of man, and much more of a Chris-
tian ; and practise a truly Chiistian sobriety. This virtue con-
fines eating and drinking within the bounds of necessity ;
it promotes health, and, as Holy Writ assures us, it " shall
prolong life," whUe the same authority declares, that "by
sm^feitmg many have perished ; for, in many meats there
will be sickness, and greedmess will turn to choler."t A
Christian should avoid delicacies, and what serves but to
gratify sensuality ; in a word, he should think only of
imitating our Lord Jesus Christ, who, in subjecting himself
to the humiliating necessity of using food, wished to become
our model in this, as in every other action. Bear continually
in mind the salutary advice which he has given us, in these
words : " Take heed to yourselves, lest, perhaps, your
hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkeimess
and the cares of this life : and that day (the day of death
or of judgment) come upon you suddenly. For as a snare
shall it come upon all that sit upon the face of the whole
earth." J The most proper means of recalling to memory
the rules of temperance, and of obtaining strength to ob-
serve them, is to recite, devoutly, the grace before and
after meals. By faithfully observing this Christian practice,
• Prov., xxiii, 29, 30 t Ecclus., xxxvii, 33, 34. t Luke, xxi, 34.
220 DTTTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
we shall draw down upon ourselves the blessmg of God,
and obtain grace not to oflend Him.
There is nothing, perhaps, in the annals of human de-
pravity, more appalling than what occurred in Africa, in
the time of St. Augustine. A young -man, named Cyril,
was exceedingly addicted to drunkenness, and passed the
greater part of his time in taverns, with companions as
profligate as himself. One day having indulged in his
usual excesses, he returned home, and, in his drunken fit,
plunged a dagger into the breast of one of his sisters who
happened to come in his way. Her father, alarmed by her
cries, flew to her assistance ; but the unnatural wretch,
grown more furious at the sight of blood, killed his father
also. He next stabbed another sister, who had endeavored
to snatch from his hand, the dagger uplifted against his
father. What crunes perpetrated by a single individual !
What a series of horrors enacted in a single day ! St. Au-
gustine was informed of the particulars of this shocking
tragedy, and, although he had already preached twice that
day, he reassembled his flock, and, with tearful eyes,
acquainted them of the shocking occurrence. The whole
congregation expressed their grief and horror in sighs and
lamentations ; and greatly did they wonder how any man
could commit crimes so monstrous and revolting. St. Au-
gustine profited of this circumstance, to show to what
horrible excesses the mdulgence of a single unmortified
passion may lead ; and the tears which accompanied his
observations, spoke more feelingly to the hearts of his
auditory, than even the eloquent words he uttered.
ExERCTSKS. —1. TVhat is gluttony, and what must be done to avoid it ?
— 2 What are the fatal consequences of this vice ? — 3 Explain how
gluttony degrades man- — 4. What rules sh:,uld be followed in eating
and drinking '!
OF 8NVT. 221
SECTION VI.
Of Envy.
Envy is a criminal repining or sadness at our neighbor's
e;ood. The man addicted to this vice, feels himself wounded
by the merits of others ; he cannot suffer himself to be
surpassed, or even equalled, by them ; h© is chagrined at
seeing them possessed of talents or virtues which he does
not possess, or which he desires to possess exclusively. If
the advantages which he observes in others, inspired him
with a desire of acquiring the like, or of imitating them, it
would not be envy, but a noble emulation. This, however,
is not the feeling by which the envious are actuated. They
deshe less the possession of those estimable qualities, than
to see others deprived of them •, they regard the prosperity
of the neighbor as an injury to themselves ; their success,
as a personal misfortune ; their good reputation, as a stain
which tarnishes their own. This unhappy disposition of heart
is a gnawing worm ; it is a passion which consumes in
secret, and wliich makes the envious man, his own execu-
tioner. How mean and hateful is this vice ' How deplorable
its effects !
The envious man rejoices at the misfortune of his neigh-
bor. Should liis neighbor incur disgrace, he is glad, he
triumphs in his foil, and experiences a fiendish pleasure
at witnessing liis humiliation, althougli he may never have
been Injured by him.
The vindictive man attacKS only his enemies — those
from whom he has received, or from whom he believes he
has received, some iiijury 5 but the envious man hates
those with whom he has nothing to reproach but the virtues
by which they are distinguished.
The second effect of envy is defamation and calumny.
The envious man endeavors to blacken the reputation cl
those by whose merits he is wounded ; he weakens, as
much as in his power, the good that is said of them ; he
gives malicious interpretations to some of theh best actions;
he converts into vices the purest virtues. Theii* 'oiety is
222 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
in his eyes, but dissimulation and hypocrisy ; and their
success in their undertakings, the eflFect of chance, not the
fruit of superior ability.
The third effect of this vice is, that it leads to the injury
of our neighbor. From words, the envious man proceeds
to acts ; he frustrates the designs of the objects of his ma-
lignant passion ; he employs all the means in his power to
defeat their projects, to prevent them from obtaining what
they desire, or to deprive them of what they have already
obtained.
In fine, envy leads to the greatest excesses, and most
criminal violence. It was envy that caused Cain to kill his
brother ; it was envy that prompted the brothers of Joseph
with the design of putting him to death, and that made
them sell him as a slave ; it was envy that impelled the
Pharisees and Doctors of the Law to calumniate, persecute,
and crucify the Son of God himself. We should, then,
never give this detestable vice an entrance into our heart ;
and should endeavor to acquire the opposite virtue ; name-
ly,— a truly Christian love, which will render us sensible to
the happiness and misery of our fellow- creatures, for the
love of God, and with a view to their salvation.
This love is the virtue of charity. He who is animated
with it, participates in the good or evil which falls to the
lot of his neighbor, and feels the one or the other as sensi-
bly as if he IximseLf experienced it. Follow the counsel of
the Apostle, who says; " Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep."*
Two neighboring shopkeepers had, through envy or
jealousy, for a long time, entertained the most violent
enmity towards each other. One of them, however, listening
to the dictates of religion, became sensible of liis criminal-
ity, and determined on seeking a reconciliation. He con-
sulted a pious and enlightened friend, as to the course he
should pursue. ''My advice to you," replied the friend,
" is, that, as your hatred arose from envy, when any one
• Roman», xii, 15.
OF SLOTH 223
comes to you to purchase goods, juid that you cannot please
him oi- deal with him, advise him to go to the house of
your neighbor, and that he will, most likely, be accommo-
dated." He followed the advice, and his neighbor, seeing
such a number of persons come directly from the house of
one whom he had considered his enemy, inquired the cause.
On discovering it, he began to entertain quite dilTerent
sentiments towards liim. and, in a short time, they had the
happiness of being perfectly reconciled.
Exercises. — 1. What is envy ?— 2. What is tho first effect of envy ?
— 3- What is the second ? — 4. What is tho third ? — 5. What must be
done to uproot this detestable vico ?
SECTION VII.
Of ^loth.
Sloth is a voluntary disgust for labor, which causes us to
neglect our duties, rather than do violence to nature.
There are no disorders whatever to which sloth is not cal-
culated to lead. It begets a kind of weakness and slug-
gishness of soul, which prevents us from resisting our evil
inclinations, and, therefore, it is truly called the parent of
every vice. Those evils which come directly from it are :
first, idleness and loss of time. The slothful man passes his
days, months, and years, either in doing nothing, or in
frivolous amusements ; he fulfils not his religious obliga-
tions ; prayer is either entirely omitted, or said with dis-
traction ; the sacraments are not approached, or are re-
ceived with undue dispositions. He also neglects the duties
of his station in life. A young man, for example, does not
profit of the education which is afforded him, he performs
nothing of what is prescribed him, or performs it badly and
without the least attention or application •, his understand-
ing remains uncultivated ; tiis memory, unexercised ; he
.eaves school almost as ignorant as when he first entered it.
224 DUTIEa OP \ OHRISTIAH.
What follows ? If he obtains an important employment,
which requii-es a clear understanding and extensive knowl-
edge, he is incapable of discharging its duties ; his ignorance
is perceived ; his incapacity is spoken of; he becomes the
object of contempt and ridicule. What regrets must he not
then feel, at having squandered the precious time of youth 1
Useless regrets, which come too late ; the loss is irrepara-
ble.
The second vice, which springs from sloth, is jmsilla-
nimity. The slothful man has neither strength nor energy
to undertake the most trifling business ; he is arrested by
the least obstacle : eveiything appears impossible, because
he does not wish to exert himself. Inconstancy is anotlier
effect of sloth. If the slothful has any desire of correct-
ing liimself, it is weak and of short duration ; he soon grows
weary of doing well, and relapses into his habitual indolence.
" Desires kill the slothful,"* says the Scripture. " Tlie
sluggard," itadds, " wRleth and willeth not."t He wishes
one thing to-day and another to-morrow ; to-day he desu-es
to do well, to-morrow his disposition is altered. Thence
proceed a lukewarmness visible in his whole conduct, a
languor of heart which leaves no relish for the discharge
of duty, and an insensibihty which renders him deaf to
remonstrance : nothing moves, nothing affects him. Neither
the reproaches which he receives, nor the goqd examples
which he witnesses, are capable of arousing him from his
slumber. The Holy Scripture compares the soul of the
sluggard to an uncultivated waste : — " I passed by the field
of the slothful man, ... and behold, it was all filled with
nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the
stone wall was broken down. "J Hear also the words of
God, addi-essed to the slothful man, in the book of Pro-
verbs : — "Go to the ant. O sluggard, and consider her
ways, and learn wisdom : which, although she hath no
guide, nor master, nor captain, provideth her meat for
herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the
harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard ? When
• Prov-, xxi, 25. r )'rov., xiii. 4
t Pr ^ , XXIV. M. ?,\
OP SLOTH. 225
wilt thou rise out of ihy sleep ? Thou wilt sleep a little,
thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little
to sleep -, and want shall come upon thee as a traveller,
and poverty as a man armed."*
Laziness resembles stagnant water : this produces mud
and unclean reptiles ; that engenders indigence and the
most detestable vices. He that is laborious resembles the
bee : this little insect never beomes fatigued and extracts
honey from all Idnds of flowers.
Beg of God the virtue contrary to sloth ; that is, a holy
activity, or fervor, which will malve you love your duties,
and fulfil them properly, through a desire of pleasing God,
and of securing your salvation. Lot not the difSculties
of labor cast you down •, be of good courage, and God
will i-ender easy, and even delightful, what, at first, appears
painful and repulsive. Our Creator, who imposes upon all
the obligation of laboring, will enable us, by his holy
grace, to practise what He commands. Be assured that
the lassitude and weariness, which the vice of idleness
produces, are a thousand times more insupportable than
the most fatiguing labors.
While dangerously ill, the young duke of Burgundy
sighed after the happy moment in which he would be per-
mitted to renew liis studies. One day, feeling somewhat
recovered, he earnestly besought his tutor to restore him
his books : and when the latter asked the reason of this
eagerness, he replied : " Ah ! my kind preceptor, I am
afraid of lo^ng what you have taught me, and because I
have a thousand things yet to learn.'" This answer shows
us that the studious pupil of Fenelon, though scarcely nine
years old, had his youthful mind already adorned with
pleasing and useful knowledge. — Mentor des Enfants.
A good pastor frequently called the attention of his
flock to the example of the ant, whose industry has be-
come a proverb. " Learn to be wise." he woiild say ; " this
life is the time of harvest : make provision of good works,
• Ptot., Ti, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 11.
226 DITTIES OP A CHRISTIAN.
ibat you may have wherewith to purchase Heaven." How
long wilt thou sleep, 0 sluggard ?
A servant of God was accustomed, every time he heard
the clock strike, to say : ''0 my God ! another hour is
passed of those which are destined to make up the number
of my days. Soon shall I have to render -Thee an account
of each one of them — ^yea, of every moment of my whole
lifel"
"In my youth," says Buffon, "I was extremely fond of
sleep, which robbed me of the best portion of the morning.
Desirous to overcome this habit, I promised my servant
half a dollar each time he would cause me to rise before sLx
o'clock. Next morning, at the appointed hour, Joseph
(this was the servant's name) entered my bedroom and
awoke me ; but instead of rising, I upbraided the boy cen-
tum eliously. *The following day he returned and had re-
course to compulsory means to make me rise. This he
continued for several weeks, as the half-dollar that he
daily received seemed to be an ample recompense for my
frequent bursts of indignation. One morning, however, I
peremptorily refused to rise. At his wit's end to devise
means to dissuade me from my determination, the cour-
ageous fellow, with the quickness of thought, seized a
pitcher of cold water that stood hard by and, turning down
the bedclothes, emptied it on my bosom and then took to
flight. You may easily imagine that I did not hesitate
long in changing my determination. At a stroke of my beU,
the poor youngster returned, trembling with fear. ' Here,
my boy, here are your fifty cents,' said 1 with the greatest
calmness. Thus do I owe to poor Joseph, tlii^ee or four
volumes of my Natural History. '"
Exercises. — 1 What is sloth, and of what evils is it the source 7—
2. What are the effects of this vice in a young man who has become its
slave? — 3 What sad results follow this negligence ? — 4- Cite some
passages from Scripture which show the danger of sloth. — 5. What
mtiBt be done to overcome this Tice ?
BOOK SECOND.
OF THE SACKAMEN1\S AND OF PRAYER.
PART FIRST.
OF THE SACRAMENTS
PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTION
Of the Necessity of Grace, ana the Means of
obtaining it.
la order to observe the Commandments of God and to
save our soul, we stand in need of the assistance of grace,
v^'thout which we can do nothing in the order of salvation.
"Without me," says Christ, " you can do nothing ;"* and
St. Paul assures us that we are not " suflBcient to think
anything of ourselves, as of ourselves ; but our sufficiency
is from God."t
Grace is a supernatural gift, which God, in his boundless
mercy, has given us through the merits of otir Lord Jesus
Chi'ist. It is principally divided into two kinds ; namely,
sanctifying grace, and actual grace. Sanctifying grace is
that grace which justifies us ; that is, makes us pass from
the state of mortal sin to that of sanctity, or justice. This
grace makes us children of God. renders us agreeable in
his sight, and gives us aright to the inheritance of Heaven.
It is also called habitual grace, because it remains with us
so long as we keep from consenting to mortal sin. Actual
* John. XT, 6. t 2 Cor., iii, 6.
228 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAH.
grace consists in a holy thought that enliglitens the mind,
and in a pious motion which goes before, excites, and helps
our will to avoid evil and do good.
Original sin having darkened our understanding and
depraved our heart, we are born in ignorance, and with a
strong propensity to evil. These are the two general sources
of all our sins. We sin because we are ignorant of our
duties, or because, though we know them, we prefer to
follow our inclinations rather than discharge those duties.
We could never recover from the state of sin, nor do the
least good whatever, if God did not enhghten our mind,
and give to our heart an inclination to vii'tue. Grace makes
us know what is good, and insphes us with the desire, as
well as gives the strength, to practise it. What woiiid be-
come of man attacked on all sides, withm and without,
if God did not assist liis weakness ; for, combined with his
own strong mclination to evil, he is subject to the tempta-
tions with wliich the devil and the world continually assail
him. On every side, the world lays snares for oui' destruc-
tion. It exhibits before our eyes its pomps and deceitful
pleasures, in order to attach our heart to them, and turn
it away from God. The devil, too, continually attacks
us, presenting to our senses flattering and seducing objects,
amusing our imagination, with a thousand illusions, and
exciting us to continual revolts of the flesh agamst the
spu'it. Man could not resist so many assaults, if God ceased
for an instant to support him. This is the reason why,
in our daily recital of the Loi'd's prayer, we beg of God
that his name may be glorilied ; that his will may be done
on earth as it is in Heaven ; that He abandon us not in
our temptations ; and that He deliver us from evil.
It is, then, true, according to the doctrine of Jesus Christ,
that we can neither give glory to God, do his will, resist
t(:mptation, nor be delivered from the snares of the devil,
but by the assistance of grace. With his grace, however,
we can do everything: "I can do all things, says the
Apostle, in Him who strengtheneth me."* This help is
not due to us, we have no right whatever to it ; if we had,
* Philippians, iv, 13,
OP GRACE. 229
it would be no longer a grace. We receive it from the
unspeakable goodness of God, and through th« infinite
merits of the passion and death of our Lord J«sus Christ.,
This grace is never refused to any one, and it is ovu- own
fault, if we do not avail ourselves of it, and sava our soul.
It is not grace which is wanting to us ; it is w« th;) t are
wanting to grace. God has attaclied grace to the sacra-
ments, when they arc received with propar dispositions :
and lie has promised it to prayer, wlicn it is well mad«. We
have, then, two infallil)le means of obtaining the grace ol
God. — prayer and the sacraments.
We receive sanctifying grace by means of the sacraments
of Baptism and Penance, which ,Jesus Christ has instituted
for this end, and which, by this institution, have become
necessary means of sanctification. In the second place,
God has promised to hear us when w« pray to Ilim, im-
plore the assistance of his grace, or solicit his mercy, in
the name of his only Son, who has loved us, and delivered
himself to death for us. By j^rayer we can obtam the grace
of God, and with this powerful heljj we can keep his com-
mandments ; " for Ciod does not command impossibilities,
but by commanding us (to do anything). He admonishes
us to do what we can, to pray for the help we need, and
then He gives the assistance necessaiy to make us able.
God never forsakes those that are justiiied by his grace,
unless Hebe llrst ibrsaken Ijy them ; " He never ceases
to protect us so long as we continue faithl'al to Him.
St. Augustine had long resisted the grace of God which
urged hun to repentance. But, at Icnglh, hearing of the
wonderful conversion of two officers of the emperor' s court,
which had been eifected by reading the life of St. Anthony,
he began to Ije gtieved and ashamed to lind his will had been
so weak and divided. Withdrawing into his garden, and
throwing himself down under a lig-tree, he gave free vent
to a torrent of tears, and addressing himself to God, said,
"How long, O Lord! — Wilt Thou l>e angry for ever?"
Weeping with the most bitter contrition ol' lieart, he, on a
sudden, heard, as it were, the voice of a child, which fre-
250 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
quently repeated these words : '-Take up, and read ; take
up, and read. '" Then taking up a copy of St. Paul's
Epistles, he read a passage strongly exhorting to repent-
ance, and to the practice of a vii-tuous life. He hesitated
no longer, but instantly resolved to co-operate with grace ;
and he soon happily experienced the truth of what one of
the oflBcers had said, that " it costs much less to become
the friend of God, than to arrive at a brilliant fortune, and
to win the emperor's friendship and favor." It is neces-
sary only to will it sincerely, when behold, I become, in a
moment, the friend and favorite of God. — Lasausse.
Exercises- —1. Ofwhatdowe stand in need to keep the command-
ments and to save our soul ? — 2. What is grace, and how is it divided ?
— 3- What is sanctifying grace ? — 4. What is actual grace ? — 5. Show
that grace is necessary to enable us to recover from the state of nin. —
6. From whom do we receive this grace ? — 7- In what saoraiaentfi do
we receive sanctifying grace ?
CHAPTER I.
OF THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL.
The sacraments are sensible signs, instituted by Tpsus
Chi'ist, to confer grace. Hence, they are so many cacred
channels, through which he communicates to us the gi-aces
which lead to salvation. They are called signs, because
they indicate to us the gi^aces wliich we receive in them ;
and they are sensible, because they fall under the cogni-
zance of the senses. There are seven sacraments ; Bap-
tism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction,
Holy Orders, and Matrimony. In these sacraments there
are two things to be considered, one of which we see ; the
other, we do not see, but believe. That which we see, is
the exterior action of the minister of the sacrament ; that
which we do not see, is the invisible operation of grace.
Three tilings are necessary to make a true sacrament :
first, that there be some outward sensible action performed ;
second, that this be a certain means to bring grace to the
goul ; and, third, that Jesus Christ be the author of it.
THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL. 231
The outward sign consists of matter and form. That which
is used, or the thing done in the administration of the
sacraments, is called the matter ; the words spoken, the
form ; and these two exterior things, the matter and form,
have a con espondence with each other, as well as with the
graces they communicate. In Baptism, for example, the
matter is water ; the form consists of these words : ''I
baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
andof the Holy Ghost.'" The words, I baptize, signify 1
ivash ; and the effect of Baptism is to purify the soul by
giving it a new life, the life of grace. The matter of Con-
firmation consists in the imposition of hands, when the
Bishop prays that the Holy Ghost may fill the soul with his
strength and grace, and in the anointing with holy chrism ;
and the form consists in the words wliich accompany the
latter action. The effect of Confirmation is to strengthen
and cause the soul to increase in spiritual life. In the same
manner, the Holy Eucharist, the matter of which is bread
and wine, nourishes spuitually ; Penance heals the maladies
of the soul ; Extreme Unction delivers us from the remains
of the weakness caused by sin ; Holy Orders furnish the
Church with ministei-rf to govern it ; and Matrimony gives it
children to renew it, as it were, and to perpetuate its dura-
tion.
All the sacraments nave been instituted for our sancti-
fication, and all produce this effect ; but there are differ-
ences, between them, which it is necessary to remark.
Baptism and Penance have been established to confer the
spiritual life of grace, and for this reason, they are called
sacraments of the dead ; the other sacraments have been
instituted for the augmentation of sanctifying grace, and
to preserve this spiritual life, when it has already been
obtained, and for tliis reason, they are called sacraments of
the living, because, to receive them worthily, we must be
Uving the life of grace, that is to say, exempt from mortal
sin. That particular actual grace peculiar to each sacrament
which gives the soul a special aid to obtain the end for
which each sacrament was instituted, is called sacramental
grace-
232 DVISBS OF A CHKISIIAN.
Three of the sacraments, Baptism. Confirmation, and
Holy Orders, have a special effpict, which is, to unpre»5 on
the soul a spiritual, indelible character, which consecrates
to God, in a particular manner, the persons who receive
them. A person receiving any of these three sacraments
with undue dispositions, would not receive sanctifjdng
grace, though he would receive the character. Grace, after
having been received, may be lost by sin, but the divine
seal which these sacraments have impressed, cannot bo
effaced ; and for tliis reason, they cannot be received more
than once.
Besides the outward action, and the words, which are
essential to each sacrament, the Church, always guided by
the spirit of God, has added many ceremonies for the in-
struction and edification of the faithful. Although these
ceremonies are not absolutely necessary for the effect of
the sacraments, they are respectable for their antiquity :
the greater number of them appear to have been estab-
lished by the Apostles themselves ; they all serve to
make known to us the excellence and holiness of the
sacraments ; and they teach us, in a sensible manner,
the dispositions with which they ought to be received,
the effects they produce, and the obligations they impose.
A certain zealous clergyman, addressing his congrega-
tion, said : •' How many sick persons repair, in the summei
season, to famous watering-places, at great expense, in
order to obtain the cure of some corporal infirmity ! and
how many spiritually sick amongst us, who do iiot avail
themselves of those admirable waters flowing through the
sacraments out 'of the Savior's fountains,'* for the cure of
all the maladies of the soul !"'
Exercises.— 1. What are sacraments ? — 2. How many 8a<;raments
are there ? — 3- How many things are requisite to make a sacrament?
i. Why have the sacraments been instituted ? — 5. Which are the
sacraments that can be received but once, and why so ?
Is»'as, xii, ^
THE NECESSITY OF BAPTISM. 233
CHAPTER 11.
or B A P T I S AI .
SECTION I.
Of the Necessity of Receiving this Sacramt:\t.
Baptism is a sacrament which cleanses us from original
Bin, and makes us children of God and of his Church. It
is the first of the sacraments, and entitles us to receive the
others. Our Lord instituted it when he said to his Apos-
tles; "Going, therefore, teach ye all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall
be saved."*
It is, then, for the salvation of men, that Jesus Christ has
instituted Baptism ; it is to deliver them from sin, and to
render them, by this new bii-th, children of God and of his
Church.
Baptism remits orginal sin in children not yet arrived at
the use of reason ; and in adults, it not only remits original
sm, but also all the actual sins committed before it, pro-
vided the persons receiving it have the necessary disposi-
tions. Baptism also remits the temporal punishment due
to sin ; for which reason, the Church never imposes pen-
ance on the newly-baptized ; but this sacrament does not
take away the consequences of original sin, such as igno-
rance, inclination to evil, the miseries of this life, and the
necessity of temporal death. The effects of original sin
still remain, after the sin itself has been remitted, to serve
as an exercise of our vh-tue, by the combat we have to sus-
tain in resisting evil, and in doing good. If Baptism. de-
livered VIS from ignorance and inclination to evil, we would
do good without effort, and, as it were naturally ; and then
t/Q should have no other merit, than that of corresponding
with grace, since the practice of good would cost us noth-
ing. This sacrament impresses upon the soul a spiritual
* Matt., xxviii, IP, and Mark, xvi, 16.
234 DUTIES OF A OHEISTIAN.
mark, or character, wMch can never be effaced : , and which
consecrates to God those who are baptized, and distin-
guishes them from those who are not. This character ol
consecration is such, that the sacrament cannot be reiter-
ated ; for that which is once consecrated to God, belongs
to Him by an inalienable right.
Baptism is so necessaiy, that we cannot be saved with-
out it, conformably to the words of Jesus Christ : " Unless
a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he can-
not enter into the kingdom of God ; "* but it may be sup-
phed by martyrdom, or by desire. Hence, we distinguish
three kinds of Baptism ; the baptism of water, the baptism
of desire, and the baptism of blood. Baptism of water
can alone be truly called the sacrament. K the two others
receive the name of Baptism, it is only because they supply
the want of the sacrament when it cannot be received ;
but they do not impress the character. Baptism of desire,
so called because produced by an impulse of the Holy
Ghost, is a perfect conversion to God by contrition or love
of God above all things, with an explicit or implicit wish of
true Baptism of water, whose place it supphes according
to the Council of Trent ; and our holy faith teaches us
that in receiving it by desire, men are saved. Baptism of
blood consists in suffering martyrdom for tho love of God,
and for the faith of Jesus Christ, without havmg been bap-
tized. It is thus named, because the person who dies in de-
fence of the faith is considered as baptized in his own blood,
and as obtaining the same grace as if he had received t
Baptism of water. It does not operate as a sacrament
from a certain privilege, on account of its resemblance
the passion of Chi-ist. Thus martyrdom availed the h
innocents, whom the Church honors as true martyrs.
" I have known a virtuous woman," says the pious Boud
" poor indeed as to the goods of this world, but very rich
as to those of Heaven ; full of the spirit of Jesus Chi-ist,
and affectionately devoted to the Blessed Vhgin. In the
town in which she lived, a magnificent chm-ch was being
• John, iii< 5-
THK AUJIIXISTRATION OF BAPTISM. 239
erected, and she felt strongly impelled to offer a crown
which she had saved out of her hard earnings, that she
might have the gratification of contributing to the con-
struction of the sacred edifice. The Priest to whom she
presented her offering, refused to accept it, and told her
that he would be better pleased to give her some assistance,
than to take anything from her, judging, from her appear-
ance, that she must be wi-etchedly poor. But she, with
admirable faith, replied: "Poor I do you say, reverend
Father ? Ah ! am I not a Chi'istian, the daughter of a great
King, and heiress to an everlasting kingdom ?"
Exercises- — 1- Which is the first and most necessary of the sacra-
ments ? — 2. \Yha,t sins does Baptism remit ? — 3- What words of our
divine Lord show the necessity of Baptism ? — 4. How may it be sup-
plied ? — 5. What do you mean by baptism of desire ?— 6. In what does
baptism of blood consist ?
SECTION 11.
Of the Administration of the Sacrament of Baptism.
Since Baptism is so necessary for salvation, Jesus Christ,
in instituting it, has given to men all imaginable facilities
for receiving it. Although the Priests of the Church are
the ordinary ministers of this sacrament, yet, in cases of
necessity, any lay person can administer it ; and this
Baptism is vaUd, provided that the person has the intention
of doing what the Church does, and pours natural water
on the head of the person to be baptized, pronouncing,
at the same time, the following words : "I baptize thee in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost." When it is impossible to pour the water on the
head, it should be poured on the breast or shoulders, or
on any other part of the body. In case of reasonable doubt,
whether Baptism previously conferred has been valid, or
whether it has been, at all, conferred, conditional Baptism
should be giTen, thus : " If thou art not baptized, I bap-
tize thee, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost." Again, when it is doubtful, whether
the person to be baptized has hfe, conditional Baptism
E36 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
ihould also be given, thus : " If thou art capable of being
baptized, 1 baptize thee, in the name of the Father," &c., (fee.
Baptism being absolutely necessary for all men, it is of
obligation on those who are converted to the faith, and
who have come to the use of reason, to receive this sacra-
ment ; but the practice of the Church in their regard is
very different from that which she observes in regard to
infants. As infants are incapable of instruction, they ai'e
admitted to Baptism without any disposition, because they
cannot have any ; but with regard to those who have come
to the use of reason, the case is different. They are first
taught the holy mysteries, and all that they are obliged to
know of rehgion ; they are exhorted to present themselves
with pure intentions, and with their heart disengaged
from all afiection to sin ; and they are excited to do pen-
ance for those they have committed. The sacrament was
formerly administered to this class of persons but twice
in the yeai', on the eves of Easter and Pentecost, unless
there was danger of death ; and it was always on these
days that the water used in Baptism was blessed.
A Missionary, who had penetrated into some of the most
remote regions of America, to gain souls to Christ, was
addressed by a jioor Indian, whose dispositions appeared
extraordinary. Having instructed him in the truths ol
rehgion, and on the dispositions necessary for receiving
the sacraments, he administered to liim the sacraments of
Baptism and Holy Eucharist, wliich he received with
the most lively ti-ans ports of love and gratitude. The
Missionary departed to visit other pai'ts of the country,
and retm-ned in about a year to the place where this poor
man resided. Immediately on his arrival, the poor savage,
who regarded him as a father, came to visit him, and begged
him to administer to him the Holy Communion. " Yes,
my child," said the Missionary, "but you must first confess
an,y mortal sins of wliich you have been guilty since my
departure. Fear not ; I will assist you in your accusation."'
"What ! Father," rephed the Indian, " is it possible that
any Christian, after being baptized, and receiving the
THE CEREMONIES OF BAPTISM. 237
Blessed Eucharist, could be guilty of offending God by
mortal sin ? Thanks be to God, I believe I am not guilty
of any such sins." He then, with tears and lively senti-
ments of sorrow, accused 'iiimself of some very trifling
transgressions. The Missionary blessed God at seeing that
He was served and glorified by faithful and fervent souls,
even among the most savage people. — Lettres Edifiantes.
Exercises — 1- By wliom may the sacrament of Baptism be admin-
istered ? — 2- What is the lorm of this sacrament ? — 3 What form is
used when there is reason to dovibt the validity of Baptism previousiy
conferred ? — 4 What practice does the Church observe respecting the
Baptism of persons who embrace our holy faith ?
SECTION III.
Of the Ceremonies of Baptism.
As Baptism is the first and most necessary of all the
sacraments, the Church desires that its admmistration be
accompanied with appropriate ceremonies, expressive of
the excellence of the sacrament itself, and of the obliga-
tions contracted by those who receive it.
The person to be baptized remains, at first, at the entrance
of the Church, to intimate that, being the slave of the
devil, he has no right to enter into the house of God, on
account of original sin, with which he is sullied. The
Priest, after asldng what he demands of the Church, pro-
ceeds to prepare him for Baptism. He fu-st breathes on
him, and commands the unclean spirit to depart, and give
place to the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. After this, he
makes the sign of the cross on his forehead and breast,
to signify, that a Chiistian must make open profession of
the faith of a crucified God, and alwaj^s bear Christ crucified
in his heart. This sacred sign is frequently used in the
administration of this sacrament, to show that it derives
all its efficacy from the cross of Jesus Christ, and that the
life of a Cluistian is a life of suffering, after the example
of that divine Master, in whose footsteps he is to follow.
Havmg said some prayers for the person to be baptized,
the Priest puts a little blessed salt into his mouth, to sig-
238 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
nify, that by Baptism, he receives grace to preserve hia
soul from the corruption of sin. By this ancient ceremony,
we are admonished to procm-e and to maintain in our soul
true wisdom and prudence, of which salt is an emblem.
The Priest next proceeds to the solemn prayers and exor-
cisms, and after the last exorcism, touches the ears and
nostrils of the infant or catechumen, to show that by Bap-
tism, his ears are opened to the word of God, and to the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and his nostrils to the good
odor of all Christian virtues. Then follows the solemn
renunciation of Satan, and of his works and pomps ; after
which, the breast and shoulders are anointed with holy oil.
The anointing of the breast is to signify the necessity of
fortifying the heart with heavenly courage •, and the anoint-
ing of the shoulders, the necessity of the like grace to
bear the crosses and adversities of this life. The holy oil is
emblematic of the interior unction of grace, which the
Holy Ghost imparts to the soul ; and as oil penetrates the
body, strengthens it, and heals its wounds, so the graces
received in Baptism, penetrate the heart, and fortify it
against the passions.
The person to be baptized is now interrogated by the
Priest concerning his faith in the mysteries of the Blessed
Trinity, the Incarnation and Redemption. He is then asked
if he wishes to be baptized, and the godfather and god-
mother having answered that he does, the Priest adminis-
ters the sacrament. The child's name ought to be that of
some saint, whom he may have for an intercessor in Heaven,
and for a model of the life which he should lead on earth.
After Baptism, the Priest anoints the new Christian on the
crown of the head, with holy chrism, to signify that he is
made a partaker of the royal dignity of Christ ; and he
puts on his head a white linen cloth, and in his hand a
lighted candle, to represent the purity wlaich he has just
received, and to teach him that he is always to walk in the
light of faith, and to be anunated with the fire of charity.
He then enters his name on the registry of the Church, to
show that he has been admitted among the children of
God.
THE OHKEMONIES OF BAI'TISM. 239
Those who answer for an infant at Baptism, are named
godfathers and godmothers ; they promise for him to God,
tliat he will faithfully acquit himself of the obhgations which
he contracts at Baptism ; and they engage to see him in-
structed in his Christian duties, and to use their efforts
that he may faithfully practise them. Should tha parents
of the child, or those whose incumbent duty it is to instruct
him in his religious obligations, neglect that duty, the
godfather and godmother are strictly bound to supply
their place.
The Emperor Dioclesian, coming to Rome, was received
with great rejoicings. Among other entertainments pre-
pared for him, those of the stage were not neglected. In a
comedy, which was acted in his presence, one of the players
conceived the idea of representing, in a ludicrous manner,
the ceremonies of the Christian Baptism, which could not
faU to divert the assembly, who held the Catholic religion
and its mysteries in contempt. A player, named Genesius,
who had learned some things concerning the Christian
rites, laid himself down on the stage, feigning himself sick,
and said, "Ah ! my friends, I find a great weight upon me,
and would gladly have it removed." The other actors an-
swered, " What shall we do to give thee ease ?" "I am
resolved," said Genesius, " to die a Christian, that God
may receive me on this day of my death, as one who seeks
his salvation, by flying from idolatry and superstition. "
The two comedians, one in the dress ol a Piiest^ the other,
of an exorcist, approached, and seating themselves at his
bed-side, said, " My child, what do you demand?" At this
interrogatory, Genesius, by a divine inspiration, was sud-
denly converted, and, with great earnestness and unfeigned
sincerity, replied, " The grace of Jesus Christ, and to be
born again, that I may be dehvered from all my sins."
The ceremonies of Baptism were then, in mockery, pro-
ceeded with, and on being baptized, he was clothed with
a white garment. To cai-ry on the jest, other players,
dressed like soldiers, seized Genesius, and presented him
to the emperor to be examined like the martyrs. Then
240 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
Genesius, standing upon the stage, said aloud, in a tone
and manner that seemed to bespeak inspiration : — " Hear,
0 emperor, and you that are liere present, officers, sena-
tors, lohilosophers, and people, what I am going to say.
1 never yet so much as heard the name of Chrisiian, but I
was struck with horror, and I abhorred my very relations,
because they professed the Christian religion. I learned
its rites and mysteries, that I might the more heartily de-
spise it, and inspire you with ttie utmost contempt of it, by
making them the subject of pubHc derision. But whilst I
was washed with the water, and interrogated, I had no
sooner answered sincerely that I behaved, than I saw a
hand extended from Heaven, and beheld angels of tran-
scendent brightness hovering over me, who recited, out of
a book, all the sins I had committed from my childhood.
This book they plunged into the water, and when they
afterwards presented it to me, it was whiter than the falling
snow. Wherefore, I counsel you, 0 great and potent
emperor, and aU ye people, who here have ridiculed these
mysteries, to believe with me, that Jesus Chi'ist is the true
Lord ; that he is the light and th» truth ; and that it is
through him you may obtain the forgiveness of your sins."
The emperor, equally astonished and enraged, ordered
Genesius to be most cruelly beaten with clubs, and after-
wards to be handed over to the prefect of the city, that he
might compel him to otTer sacrifice to the gods. The pre-
fect commanded him to be put upon the rack, where he
was torn with iron hooks for a considerable time, and then
burned with torches. The martyr endured these torments
with constancy, and in reply to the inhuman judge, said :
" The God whom I adore and serve is the only Lord of the
amverse; to Him I will adhere, though I should suffer
death a thousand times for liis sake. And no torments
shall remove Jasus Christ from my heart or mouth. vVTiat
grieves me is, that I have so lately come to his service, and
have so greatly offended Him by my former errors and im-
pieties.'" Perceiving that his eloquence made a deep im-
pression on the multitude, the prefect, without fm'ther
delay, ordered his head to be struck oflf. Thus, our Lord,
THE PROMISES OF BAPTISM. 241
who c<alled a publican to the apostleship, honored with the
gloi-y of martyrdom, tliis saint, drawn from the stage —
the most infamous school of vice and the passions. The
Baptism which St. Genesius received on the stage, was no
more than a representation of the sacrament, for want of
a serious intention of performing the Christian rite ; but
he was baptized in desire, with true contrition, and. also,
in his own blood.
Exercises. — 1. Recount, in a few words, the principal ceremonies of
Baptism 4 — 2. What names are given to those who answer for a chikl
at Baptism ? — 3. What obligations do godfathers and godmothers con-
fract?
SECTION IV.
Of the Promises made at Baptism.
When presented to the Church to receive Baptism, we
are asked whether we will live according to the Gospel
maxims, and renounce, in heart and affection, the devil
and his pomps, the world and its maxims ; nor are we
admitted among the number of God's children, until we
have made a formal promise in the affirmative.
It is, then, in the face of Heaven and earth, in presence
©f God and his angels, that we promise to submit to the
law of Jesus Christ, and to observe it in its full extent.
We had not, it is true, the use of reason, when we received
the sacrament, but it was for us, and in our name, that
these promises were made ; and we have ratified them
since, every time that we have made pul^lic profession of
Christianity. We ratify them still every day, by the sign
of the cross ; by the recital of the Lord's Prayer; by
assisting at the holy Sacrifice of the Mass ; and by receiy-
ing the sacraments. We belong, then, no longer to our-
selves ; we belong, exclusively to God ; our souls, our
bodies — all are his. To follow the maxims of the world,
to seek after its vanities, to love the pomps of the devil,
to blush at the Gospel, would be to renounce the character
of a Christian, to violate one's engagements, to become a
prevaricator, to trample on the blood of Jesus Christ, to
242 IHTTIES OF A ohbibhan.
outrage the Holy Spirit, and to banish Him shamefullj
from our heart. We should never forget that these prom-
ises are wi'itten iu the book of life ; that they are regis-
tered in Heaven ; and that they will become the subject
of that judgment which we must undergo after death.
Our salvation, our eternal destiny, depends on our tidelity
to them. We should frequently renew, them, and un-
ceasingly thank God that we, who were slaves of Satan,
have become his own adopted, r^hildren, and heirs to his
heavenly kingdom.
Ik is related in Ecclesiastical History, that Maurita, a
holy deacon of Carthage, having baptized a young man
named Elpidophorus, had the afiliction to see him after-
wards become an apostate, and even a persecutor of the
Clu'istians. \Vhilst the impious man, who had been raised
to the dignity of judge, sat one day in judgment upon them,
Maurita made his appearance, carrying in his hand the
white garment with wiiioh he had clothed Elpidophorus iti
Baptism. Raising it up before him, he said, in the hearing
of the whole assembly : " Behold, 0 minister of error, this
white garment, which I have carefully preserved ; it will
be thy accuser and the witness of thy apostacy on the last
day, before the tribunal of the Sovereign Judge. When
thou camest from Baptism, washed and puriiied from tiiy
sins, it served thee as an ornament ; but hereafter it shaM
be to thee a garment of fii'e and flame, to torment thee for
all eternity 1" When Maurita had concluded, the most of
the assembly were in tears, and Elpidophorus himself,
leaving his tribunal, retired in confusion.
ExKRCiSKS. — 1. What are the promises of Baptism ?— 2. Are we
obliged to observe them, although they were made in our name before
we had the use of reason ? — 3. How and when do we ratify thes
promises ? — 4. Why should we frequently renew these promises ?
THE EFPE0T3 OF OONPIRMATION. 243
CHAPTER riT.
OF GONFIR^IATION.
SECTION I.
Of the Nature and Effects of Confirmation.
Coniirmation, which is the second of the sacraments,
increases in us the grace of Baptism, and renders us perfect
Christians, by imparting to us the Holy Ghost, with the
abundance of his graces. This sacrament completes what
Baptism began. The grace of Baptism is a grace of regener-
ation, v/hich makes us children of God ; that of Confu'-
mation is a grace of fortitude and courage, which elevates
us to the condition of perfect men, and renders us capable
of giving testimony to Jesus Chi-ist, at the expense even
of our very life. This Ls what was seen in the persons of
the Apostles. Before the descent of the Holy Ghost, they
were weak and timid ; but, as soon as they were lilled with
his graces, they became new men, and announced Jesus
Christ with fortitude and zeal. The Holy Ghost descends
on those also who are coniirmed, and produces in them
the same effects, but in an invisible manner ; because
religion is now so established, that to practise it, we need
not the assistance of miracles.
Although the Holy Ghost does not descend visibly on
those who I'eceive Confirmation, as it frequently happened
in the primitive Church, yet He always sheds upon those
who are duly disposed, the abundance of his gifts and fruits.
The seven gifts of the Holy Ghost are : wisdom, which
detaches us from the things of this world, and gives us a
relish for the things of God ; understanding, which makes
us penetrate the truths of religion ; counsel, which makes
known to us the way of salvation, and the enemies we have
to contend with therein ; fortitude, which enables us to
surmount every obstacle that may oppose our spiritual
progress ; knowledge, by which we are made acquainted
with our duties towards God -, piety, which enables us to
discharge those duties ; and the /ear of the Lord, which
244 DCTIE3 OF A OmaSTIAJT.
impresses on our soul a gi'eat respect for the awful majestj
of God, and a salutary dread of offending Him.
The fruits of the Holy Ghost are : charity, which unites
us to God by love ; joy, which fills the soul with a holy
consolation -, peace, which produces tranquillity in the midst
of contradictions ; patience, which enables us to support,
for the love of God, all the afflictions that befall us ; loii-
ganbniiy, which makes us expect, with confidence, the
good things to come : goodness, which renders us benefi-
cent to all ; benignUij, which begets sweetness and aftability
of manners ; mildness, which allays in us every motion of
passion or anger ; Jldelitij, which makes us punctual ob-
servers of our covenants rj»d promises ; modesty, which
reeulates our whole exterior according to the maxims of
the Gospel ; continence and chastity, which preserve our
body pure and holy, so as to be a suitable temple of the
Holy Ghost, who resides in it.
The Bishops, as successors of the Apostles, are the ordi-
nary ministers of Confirmation.
The ceremonies which accompany its administration, are
signs of the admirable effects which the sacrament produces.
The Bisliop, turning towards those who are to be confirmed,
holds his hands extended over them, to show that the Holy
Ghost takes them under his protection, and is about to re-
plenish them with Ills graces. He prays, at the same time,
til iL the Holy Spiritmay descend upon all present who are
to l>e confirmed ; and then anoints each person's forehead
witli holy chrism in the form of a cross, saying: "I sign
TUKi': WITH THE SIGN OF THE CROSS, I CONli'IIlM THEE WITH THE
CinaSM OP SALVATION, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE
Son, axd cf the Holy Ghost." These words are the form of
the sacrament. '
'fhe holy chrism, wliich is composed of oil of olives and
balm, expresses the abundance, sweetness, and power, of
the grace, which fills, penetrates, and strengthens the soul,
as oil penetrates and strengthens the body. The balm is
also a symbol of the good odor of Christ, which the confirmed
Chinstian ought, by the practice of all virtues, diflfuse every
where around him. Confirmation is one of the three sacra-
THE EF^EOTS OF CONFIRMATION. 245
ments which confer a spiritual character ; it can, therefore,
be received but once.
Although this saci-ament is not absolutely necessary for
salvation, yet it would be a sin to neglect to receive it ;
because such neglect would deprive us of the abundant
graces which it communicates; and would be a disobe-
dience to our Lord Jesus Christ, who has instituted it for
our advancement in the Ufe of grace.
Julian the Apostate, resolving to make solemn profes-
sion of his impiety, ordered preparations to lie made for a
sacrifice to the idols, in one of the pagan temples. On the
d.iy appointed, he repaired thithei-, accompanied by his
court, in great pomp, that the sacrifice might be celebrated
with all possible magnificence. All being ready, he made a
sign to the priests to commence the impious rite ; but,
what was their astonishment, when they found themselves
unable to proceed with it I Their knives, which they had
well prepared, could make no impression on the flesh of
the victims, and the fire which they had lighted on the
altar was suddenly extinguished. The sacrificing priest
said, " There is some unknown power present that inter-
rupts our ceremonies." Then addressing the emperor,—
"There must be," he observed, "some one present who
has been baptized or confirmed." Julian ordered that
inquiry should be made, when behold ! a boy, one of his
own pages, came forward, and said : — " Know, sire, that I
am a Christian, and have been confirmed. A few days
since I was anointed with holy oil, to strengthen me for
the combat. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, who, by his
cross, has redeemed me. I acknowledge him alone for my
God, and I glory in belonging to him. It was I, or rather
it was the God whom I serve, who prevented the impiety
you were going to commit. I invoked the sacred name of
Jesus Clu-ist, and the demons could not be acknowledged
as gods. At that sacred name, the name of the true and
only God, the devils have been put to flight ! "' The em-
peror, who had formerly professed Christianity, aware of
the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, was seized with ter-
246 DUTIES OF A CHKISTIAN.
ror : and, apprehending the effects of the divine ven-
geance, left the temple, covered with confusion, without
uttering a single word. The courageous young soldier of
Chi'ist immediately reported to the Chiistians all that had
occurred. They rendered glory to God, and acknowledged
how terrible to the devils are those in whom the virtue of
Jesus Chi'ist dwells by the sacrament of Confirmation,
when it is received with proper dispositions. — Prudentius.
Exercises. — 1- AVliat are the effects of Confirmation? — 2. 'What is
the difference between this sacrament and Baptism ? — 3. Does the
Holy Ghost descend visibly on those who are being confirmed ? —
i. Name and define the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost. —5. Name the
twelve truits of tho Holy Ghost, ar-d tell us their effects. — 6. Who are
the ministers of ConQrmation ? — 7. How is this sacrament given ? —
8 Is it sinful to neglect its reception ?
SECTION IL
Of the Dispositions for Confirjnation.
As Confirmation can be received but once, it is of great
importance to receive it with the necessary dispositions,
that we may not be deprived of the graces peculiar to this
sacrament. The first disposition necessary for receiving it
is, to be instructed in the principal mysteries of religion,
and to I'enew our profession of them. We should also
know the Apostles' Creed, and understand its meaning,
and be instructed in what regards the commandments, the
sacraments, grace, and prayer. If young children, inca-
pable of such knowledge, are sometimes admitted to this
sacrament, it is a pure indulgence in favor of their age and
innocence. \Vlien a person receives a sacrament he camiot
be too well instructed ; and he exposes himself to great
danger when, thi-ough his own fault, he has not suflScient
knowledge.
The second disposition is, to have a conscience free
from mortal sin. This disposition is still more necessary
than the former, and nothing can dispense with it. The
Holy Ghost himself assures us, in the Holy Scripture, that
"wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell
THE OBLIGATIONS OP CONFIRMATION. 24'3
[n a body subject to sin."* The sacrament of Confirmation
is a sacrament of the living ; it requires, then, spiritual
life in him who receives it. The effect of this sacrament is
to increase and strengthen tliis spiritual life in the soul;
but it is impossible to strengthen in the life of grace, the
soul that does not possess it. To receive Confirmation
worthily, we must either h:ive preserved the life of grace
received in Baptism, or we must have recovered it by true
repentance.
The third disposition is, an ardent desire to receive the
Holy Ghost, with the abundance of his graces. It was by
holy desires and fervent prayers, that the Apostles prepared
themselves for his coming ; and it is by imitating their ex-
ample that we shall attract Him to us. We should beg
this favor with earnestness and perseverance, and God,
whose infinite goodness disposes Him to listen to our pe-
titions, will not refuse to grant it.
The persecution raised in Jerusalem, after the death of
St. Stephen, having dispersed the disciples, St. Philip, the
Deacon, went to Samaria, and converted great numbers,
whom he baptized. He imparted the joyful news to the
Apostles, who immediately sent St. Peter and St. Jolm to
impose hands upon them, and no sooner had they done so,
than the Holy Ghost visibly descended on the new converts.
"They laid their hands upon them, and they received the
Holy Ghost. '"t
Exercises. — 1. What is the first disposition necessary lo receive
worthily the sacrament of Confirmatioa ? — 2. What is the second ? —
3. What is the third ?
SECTION III.
Of the Obligations of Confirmation.
Confirmation imposes on us two principal obligations :
the first, to confess the faith of Jesus Christ at the peril of
our life ; and the second, never to blush at the Gospel.
• Wisdom, i, 4. t Acts, viii, 17.
248 DCTras OF a. ohri3tian
nor yield to human respect. A confii'med Ckristian ia
bound to defend the faith, when he hears infidels assail its
dogmas, or libertines oppose its morality. Ho ought to
give testimony of Jesus Christ, that is, defend courageously
the faith which he has taught us ; and he ought to oppose,
with earnestness and vigor, those who attack it, fearing
neither railleries nor threats — no, nor even death itself.
The terrible chastisement with which our Lord, in the Gos-
pel, menaces those who neglect this duty, should make us
sensible of its importance. "Every one, therefore, that
shall confess me befoi'e men, I will also confess him before
my Father who is in Heaven. But he that shall deny me
before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is
in Heaven."* It is, then, a crime not to confess Jesus
Christ before men, or not to declare for him when he is in-
sulted. We should oppose, with a courage wo I'thy a soldier
of Jesus Christ, the dangerous discourses of corrupt men,
who would weaken our faith. We should sustam the inter-
ests of our Master to the full extent of our ability. Would
we suffer any person to slander, in our hearing, a parent
or a dear friend ? How, then, can we endure any one
to outrage, in our presence, that God to whom we owe our
very existence, and who is to be our eternal recompense ?
It is principally by the purity of our morals and the regu-
larity of our conduct, that we must confess Jesus Christ,
and gain to him the hearts of those who attack his doc-
trine. Example is more powerful and persuasive than
words, and nothing honors or confirms our holy religion
more than the Chi'istian and virtuous lives of those who
profess it.
The Bishop, in administering Confirmation, makes the
sign of the cross upon the forehead of the person he con-
fii'ms, and gives him a light stroke on the cheek, to teach
him that he should never be ashamed to practise the law
of Jesus Christ, and that he should elevate himself above
human respect, and that weakness so unworthy a Christian,
which would deter him from the practice of virtue, or
cause him to commit evil, rather than give oflFence to the
• Matthew, x, 32. 33-
THH OBLIGATIONS OF OONFIXIAIATION. 249
sinful 9od woildly-miiided A young Loan, tor insLanoQ
will not Ireijucni the sacraiinenLs, sanctity holidays, go to
Mass, nor oV)'^eivo tlio iihstineuces of the Church, because
he fears he may become the ridicule of companions wha
are neglectful of these duties. He sees that in fulfilling
them, he will become the object of their raillery; and
tliis is sufficient to determine him to act like them, and
thus to adopt a line of conduct wliich must lead eventually
to his everlasting destruction.
How injurious to God is such deplorable conduct ! How
lamentable in its consequences 1 What an outrage is thus
offered to God, when we ^villingly sacritice his friendslaip
rather than that of men 1 Wicked men who merit neither
our esteem nor our coniidence ; men whom, in our heart,
we, perhaps, despise. What 1 God commands us to preserve
piety in our heart, by the frequent use of the means which
He has appointed for om* sanctLtication ; and because young
libertines, persons blinded by then* passions, would ridi-
cule us, we" therefore, either abandon the service of God,
or are ashamed to be considered as his disciples. What
infatuation 1 Do we fear more to incur disgrace with the
imjiious, than to become the object of God's hati'ed and
indignation ? What a crime to give the preference to tJie
creature rather than to the Creator I If God be for us, what
have we to fear from the impious ? If God be against us,
what assistance can they render us ? When we are about
to perish, can they save us ? When God condemns us,
can they take upon them. our defence ? We blush, for-
sooth, at our fidelity in discharging our duties, though
this, on the contrary, should constitute our glory. What
an inconsistency ! what an opposition to the light of reason,
and to all the principles of natural equity 1 It is the vicious,
not the virtuous, that ought to blush ; for shame is at-
tached to crime, not to innocence. But who are those cen-
sors of the vii'tuous, those men whom we so much desire
to please, whose suflft-ages we seek to gain ? They are men,
the greater number of whom groan under the shameful
yoke of their brutal passions ; who are inwardly torn by
cruel remorse, and tormented by tht? vej'roachtss of con-
250 DVTIES OF A OHKISTIAM.
Bcience, whose importunate voice they wish to stifle ; and
they seek to multiply companions in their disorders, and
thus encourage themselves by then- numbers. Whilst
outwardly they inveigh against piety, they cannot help
respecting it in their heart, and feeling a regret for its
loss. While they persecute the just, they privately esteem
them and en\'y their happy state : and, had they a treas-
ure which they wished to be securely presei'ved, it is to
the virtuous, and not to their vicious companions, they
would confide its keeping.
An ofiScer, illustrious both for his buth and fortune, was
on the point of obtaining a very lucrative situation, when
he was accused of being a Chi'istian. that religion excluding
him, by the laws, from all offices and dignities. The gover-
nor gave him fom* hours for consideration, and told him to
weigh well what he was going to do. During the interval
which had thus been given him, he was visited by the
Bishop, who took him by the hand, led him to the church,
and begged of him to enter the sanctuary. Here, at the
foot of the altar, the Bishop pointed to the sword which
the officer wore, and presenting him, at the same time, a
copy of the Gospels, asked him wliich he would choose.
The officer, without hesitation, with his right hand took
hold of the sacred book. " Adhere, then, to God," said the
holy Bishop ; "be ftiithful to Him : He ^vill fortify you and
recompense yom' choice. — Depart in peace." The officer
went from the church, and presenting himself before the
governor, made a generous confession of his faith in Jesus
Christ. Sentence of death was then pronounced upon him,
and, by expiring for his faith in sliarp but passing tor-
ments, he merited eternal and ineffiible joj's. — jNIekault.
Exercises. — 1- How many obligati"ns does Confirmation impose ? —
2- What are tho obligations of the confirmed Christ'an ? — 3. What do
the sign of the cross on the forehead and the slight blow on the cheek
tignify ? — 4- Are those who censure the virtue U5 Bery honorable ?
tS&tll ON OF THE BLESbtD EUCHARIST. 251
CHAPTER IV.
OF THE BLESSED EUCHARIST
SECTION 1.
Of the Institution of the Blessed Eucharist, and of
Transuhstantiation.
The Blessed Eucharist is the body and blood, soul and
divinity, of Jesus Christ, under the appearances of bread
and wiue. It is the gi'eatest and most august of all the
sacraments. The other sacraments confer some particular
graces ; but this bestows upon us the Author of grace, our
Lord Jesus Chi'ist himself. By it he abides in us, and we in
him. Our Lord, long before he instituted this wonderful
sacrament, had promised that he would give it, as we read
in the sixth chapter of St. John's Gospel. After having
said to the Jews, " I am the living bread, which came down
from Heaven, ■■ he added : " The bread that I will give, is
my tiesh for the life of the world." ' The Jews murmui-ed at
what he had said, but he repeated it in still stronger terms :
" Amen, amen, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh
of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you shall not have
life in you. He that eateth my flesh and. drinketh my blood,
abideth in me, and I m him."* This promise, so clearly
given, he fulfilled on the eve of his passion, in the supper-
room in which he eat the paschal lamb with his disciples.
" And takuig bread," says the Evangelist, "he gave thanks,
and brake, and gave to them, saying : This is my body
which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of
me. In like manner the chaUce also, after he had supped,
saying : This is the chalice, the new testament in my blood,
which shall be shed for you."t
The outward appearances of bread and wine are the sen-
• eible sign which represents the invisible effects which this
holy sacrament produces. They signify that the body and
blood of Jesus Christ are the spuitual nourishment of the
• John, vi, 61, 52, 54, 57- t Luke, xxii, 19, 20. See also,
Matt., xxvi, 26, 27, 28-
2S2 DtTTIK'^ OF A CHRISTIAN.
Boul, as bread and wijicaie the iioui-ishment of the body.
Although these outward appearances, the taste, color, and
form, of bread and wine, remain the same after consec}'a-
tion as they were before, yet there is no longei' either bread
or wine ; the substance of the bread being changed into
the body of Jesus Christ, and the substance of the wine
into his blood : so that the same body which was nailed for
us to the cross, and is now glorious in Heaven, is, at the
same tune, really present, undo' the appearance of bread,
on our altars. As the body of oui- I.ord is a livdng body, it
follows that he is whole and entire under each species, and
under each jDarticle of the same species. Under the appear-
ance of bread, the body of Jesus Chiist is united to his
blood, liis soul, and his divinity ; and under the appearance
of wane, his blood is united with his body, his soul, and
divinity ; for now that J esus Christ is giorious and immortal
he cannot be divided ; his blood is not separable from his
body ; where the one is, the other must necessarfly be. We
receive, then, our Lord Jesus Christ whole and entire, true
God and true man, by connuunicating under either of the
species, as we would, if we received und^r both.
This admirable change is effected by the omnij^otent
woi'ds of Jesus Christ, wliich the Priest pronounces in his
name. Yes ; our Lord himself, who formely changed
water into wine at the marriage feast at Cana, and who
out of nothing, created all things, operates this wonder by
the instrumentality of his Priests. It is as easy for him to
change one substance into another, as it was in the begin-
ning to create the universe by a single word. We cannot,
indeed, understand how all these wonders are effected, but
we know, that " no word shall he impossible with God ; '''
and we believe them on the word of Jesus Christ, who, foi
as, and for our sanctitication, has been pleased to do more
than we can compi'ehend. We believe, on the testimony
of God himself, that He is really present in the holy sacra-
ment of the altar; that, to unite himself intimately with'
us. He has been jsleased to become himself oui- food ; and
that He nourishes our soul with the very blood which He
• Luke, i, 37,
THE DISPOSITIONS FOR COMMUNION. 25S
shed for us upon tho. cross, and the very flesh which He
offered as a victim for our redemption. He has, then, been
prodigal in performing w.onders in order to procure us this
happiness.
St. Ambrose, in one of his discourses, addressing the
martyr St. Lawi'ence, speaks thus : " Whence comes, then,
0 illustrious martyr of Christ ! whence comes the indom-
itable courage which makes you sui3port, with apparent
insensibility, the most fi'ightful torments that can be in-
flicted ? The fire consumes your members, and you are
undaunted in the presence of your tormentors and execu-
tioners. Ah I it i§ because you have received, in the Holy
Communion, the body of your divine Master ; it is because
the blood of the Strong and the Mighty is circulating in
your veins 1
Exercises— 1. What is the Blessed Eucharist ? — 2. By what words
did our divine Lord promise the Eucharist ?— 3. When and how did he
fulfil this promise ? — 4. Into what are the substances of the bread and
wine changed ? — 5. Is Jesus Christ whole and entire under each spe-
cies ? — 6 How is this admirable change effected ? — 7- What will aid
us to believe all those wonders, though they are above our understand'
ing?
SECTION II.
Of the Dispositions necessary for receiving the Holy
Communion.
There is no one of the sacraments which unites us so
intimately with God, as the Blessed Eucharist ; there is,
consequently, none for which we should prepare with so
much care. The more holy a sacrament is, the more holy
should be ovir dispositions for receiving it. When we are
about to communicate, it is not for man, it is for God him-
self, that we prepare a dwelling. The dispositions which
we should bring are of two kinds ; one regards the soul,
the other, the body. The tirst disposition of the soul is
purity of conscience. A man must " prove himself,"* ac-
• J Cor., xi, 28.
254 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
cording to the precept of the Apostle, before he eats this
heavenly bread, and, if his conscience is charged with any
mortal offence, he must have recoui-se to the sacrament
of Penance to obtain jiardon, before he communicates.
The Holy Eucharist supposes sj^iritual life in those who
receive it ; therefore, to be nourished by it, we must be
living the life of grace. It is the God of purity who comes
to visit us ; He would enter with horror into an impure
heart. The washing of the Apotles' feet, before He gave
them his flesh to eat and his blood to drink, is a lively
figure of the purity with which we should approach this
divine banquet. In the primitive Church, the deacon, be-
fore the consecration of the divine niystei'ies, turned to the
people, saying, in a loud voice, " Things that are holy are
but for the holy." The sanctity of Baptism, either preserved,
from the time of its reception, or, if lost, repaired by Pen-
ance, is the "wedding garment,"* with which we must be
attired when we would partake of the banquet of the * ' Fa-
ther of the family." This purity of heart is the most essen-
tial of the dispositions for partaking of this holy sacrament ;
but we should be careful to join with it, a lively faith, a,
firm hope, and an ardent charity.
The Church calls the Holy Eucharist a sacrament of faith ;
he who approaches it must believe without the shadow of
doubt, that it is our Lord Jesus Christ whom he is going
to receive ; he who came into this world, and suffered
death for our salvation ; who rose glorious and immortal
from the dead ; and is now in Heaven at the right hand of
his Eternal Father.
A firm hope consists in expecting, with confidence, from
Jesus Christ, all that we ask of him with reference to our
salvation. Since he gives himself entirely to us, what can
he refuse us ? He declares that he who eats his flesh and
drinks his blood has everlasting life, and that he will raise
him up at the last day. After such a promise what confi-
dence ought we not to have in his goodness 1 We should
approach the holy table with the same dispositions as the
woman of the Gospel, who said within herself, "If I shall
• Matt , xxii, 12.
THE DISPOSITIONS FOJl COMMtTNlON. 255
touch only his garment, 1 shall be healed ."* and she was
accordingly cured in the same hour.
The Eucharist is a sacrament of love ; it was through
this most incomprehensible love that our Lord instituted iv.
Would it not be monstrous -ingratitude to receive Jesus
Chi'ist into a cold or indifferent heart ? But this love should
be accompanied with profound sentiments of humility,
adoration, and gratitude. •
Whom do we receive in the Holy Eucharist ? God himself,
the Creatoi- and Sovereign Lord of the universe ; Him whose
power, sanctity, and other perfections, are infinite. Who
are we ? We are of ourselves but nothingness and sin. We
should, then, humble ourselves before our God, and ac-
knowledge with the centurion in the Gospel, that we are
not worthy to approach Him. We should adore Him with a
holy fear, and prostrate ourselves humbly before Him ; for
although He is hidden under the veiLs of the Eucharistic
symbols, He is not the less our God. We should excite in
om* heart an unbounded gratitude ; for if gratitude should
be commensurate with the benefit received, what ought to
be its extent for a gift which is infinite !
The body should also, in its own way, contribute to honor
the divine Guest that we are going to receive. First, it is
necessary that we be fasting from the preceding midnight,
as the Church has expressly commanded through respect
for this august sacrament. She, however, dispenses with
the command in those who, being dangerously sick, receive
the Blessed Eucharist as a viaticum, or as a preparation for
their last passage. Secondly, the body should be in a re-
spectful and kneeling posture. Tliis exterior reverence
should proceed from, and be the expression of, the interior
sentiments of the soul, humbled profoundly before the
supreme majesty of God.
Almighty God, being provoked by the cruelty of Pharaoh,
and moved by the just complaints of his chosen people,
resolved to punish this obstinate prince, and to deliver
them from the tyx'ant's yoke. When the time marked ui
• Matt., ix, '21.
256 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
his eternal decrees had arrived, (xod sent his exterminating
angel, who, in one night, killed all the firdt-born of the
Egyptians, having beforehand commanded his people to
sacrifice and eat a lamb in every family, and to sprinkle with
its blood the doors of their houses, that the angel, the
minister of his vengeance, might spare the children of his
own people. After this He nourished them for forty years
in the desert, with manna from Heaven. In these two
favors bestowed by God on his i^eople, we have striking
figures of the Holy Eucharist. The similitude between the
figure and the reality is clearly discernible. The Israelites,
the chosen people of God, were alone commanded to sacri-
fice the mysterious lamb ; the exterminating angel spared
the first-born of the families whose doors were marked
with its blood. Chi-istians alone have the right of immola-
ting the divine Paschal Lamb. The angel, the mmister of
God's vengeance, will spare all those who are marked with
his blood ; and our Lord has commanded the faithful to
renew frequently the offering of this sacrifice, hi memory
of their deliverance by his death from the tyranny of the
devil. The manna, that heavenly nourishment with which
God preserved his people, was also a very appropriate
figure of the Sacrament of the Altar. It was called the
bread of Heaven ; its taste was the most delicious that can
be imagined ; the Israelites were fed with it only after
their deliverance from the bondage of Pharaoh.* The Eu-
charist, as our Lord tells us, is the living bread wliich came
down from Heaven ; it is the fruitful source of all graces,
but no one can be nourished with it until he has shaken
off the yoke of the devil ; that is, until he has been de
livered from the slavery of sin.
Exercises. — 1. — How are we to prepare for the reception of the Holy
Eucharist ? — 2. How many dispositions are requisite, and in what do
they consist?
* See Exodus, xii and xtI.
THE EFFECTS OF THE HOLT EUCHARIST. 231
SECTION III.
Of the Effects of the flohj Eucharist.
This sacrament produces most admirable effects in those
who receive it with due dispositions. The first is to unite
and incorporate us with Jasus Clirist. We become united
to him by faith, when we beheve the truths which he has
revealed, and by chai-it}', when we love him with a perfect
love. By faith wg pay lam the homage of our understand-
ing ; by charity we give him our heart. There is another
union, however, much more intimate and perfect ; it is that
which is effected by the participation of his sacred flesh and
precious blood ; and tliis union is the proper effect of the
Blessed Eucharist. Jesus Christ gives himself entirely to us ;
he unites his sacred body with ours ; and, by this union,
we become one and the same body — one and the same
spirit with him. As the food wliich we take nourishes our
body, so the Holy Eucharist is the nourishment of our soul ;
for even as our corporal food is changed into our substance,
so the Holy Communion transforms us into Jesus Christ.
Hence, St. Paul says, " Hive, now not I; but Christ liveth
in me."*
The second effect of the Holy Euchaiist is to augment,
confirm, and preserve in us, the spiritual life of grace. Our
Blessed Savior, becoming the food of our soul, does not
remain inactive within us : he gives an increase of sanctify-
ing grace, confinns us in divine love, and enables us to pre-
serve that precious treasure with a constant fidelity. Hence,
the remarkable sanctity which we witne.«s in such as com-
municate worthily ; and what is it liut the frequent and
devout reception of the adorable Sacrament, the bread of
the strong, that supports that young man, though beset
with dangers, in a piety which edifies his entire neighbor-
hood and in a regularity of conduct which renders him the
model of his family ?
The third effect of this august sacrament is to weaken con-
cupiscence, and to moderate the violence of our passions
• Gal^ ii, 20.
258 DUTIES OF A OUUlStlAN.
We are born with a strong inclination to evil ; it is as a
venom which has spread itself through oui' whole nature by
the sin of our first parents. The Eucharist does not alto-
gether deliver us fe'om it, but it enfeebles its maUgnity ;
and for this reason the holy Fathers have called it an anti.
dote, a counter-poison. This eftect is always experienced
by those who receive this sacrament frequently and worthi-
ly : they feel their tendency to e\'il diminish, their incUna-
tion to good increase, and the strength and power of their
spk'itual enemy daily become more and more enfeebled.
The fourth effect of the Eucharist is to give us a pledge
of eternal life, and of a glorious resurrection. Jesus Christ
himself teaches this consohng truth : " He that eateth my
flesh, and drinketh my blood," says he, " hath everlasting
life; and I will raise him up in the last day."* The life
which the Holy Eucharist communicates to the soul is a
beginning, and as itwei'e, a foretaste of a blessed life ; and
this life will remain with us and be eternal, unless we,
through our own fault, deprive ourselves of its possession.
This divine sacrament afifects even the body, and is, as it
were, tae seed and germ of immortality, which will one day
cause it to rise from -the grave, and invest it with glorious
qualities. The pi'esence of Jesus Christ in us, becomes an
assured pledge of a glorious immortality, but it is to a fer-
vent Communion that these blessed effects are attributable.
K our Communions be tepid, tint is, if they be made with-
out sincere piety, or with an alrection to venial sin, they
cannot be expected to produce suchefiects; but if they be'
anworthy, that is, made in the state of mortal sin, we be-
come guilty of profaning the body of the Lord, which is a
horrible sacrilege, and one of tl;e most heinous crimes.
Whilst our Lord Jesus ChiisL was one day teaching at
Capharnaumj those who heard him, put to him the follow ■
ing question : " What shall we dp that we may work the
works of God ?" to which ho replied, " This is the work of
God, that you believe in him whom Ue hath sent." At
these words the Jews rephed: '' What sign therefore dost
* John, vi, 55.
CTKWOUTHY OOMMtJNION. 25^
thou show tha.t we may see and may believe thee ? what
dost thou work 7 Our lathers did eat manna in the desert,
as it is written — He gave them bread from Heaven to eaty
Then Jesus said to them : " Amen, amen, I say to you,
Moses gave you not bread from Heaven, but my Father
giveth you the true bread from Heaven. For the bread of
God is that wliich cometh down from Heaven and giveth
life to the world. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did
eat manna in the desert, and ai'e dead. This is the bread
which cometh down from Heaven ; that if any man eat of
it, he may not die. I am the living bread which came down
from Heaven. If any man eat of this bread he shall live for
ever ; and the bread that I will give, is my flesh for the life
of the world. For my flesh iss meat indeed, and my blood
is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my
blood, abLdeth in me and I in liim." What more clear
than these words of the Eternal Truth? " The bread that I
will give is my flesh : . . . . my flesh is meat indeed, and my
blood is drink indeed. "Po they not show beyond the
shadow of doubt, the real presence of our Lord Jesus Christ
m the holy sacrament of the Eucharist ? — St. John, vi.
Exercises. — I. What effects does the Holy Eucharist produce in
those who receive it worthily ? — 2. What is the second effect of the
Holy Eucharist? — 3. What is the third? — 4. The fourth? — 5. To
what kind of Communion are these blessed effects attributable ?
SECTION IV.
Of an Unworthy Communion.
Those who communicate in the state of mortal sin, re-
ceive, indeed, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, but they
receive not the graces and salutary effects of this sacrament.
According to the alarming words of St. Paul, such persons
eat and drink their own judgment and condemnation.
"Whosoever," he says, "shall eat this bread, or drink the
chalice of the Lord unworthily," that is to say, in the
state of mortal sin, " shall be guilty of the body and blood
of the Lord;" and "eateth and drinketh judgment to
260 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
himself, not discerning the body of the Lord."* Thesa
words teach us how great is the crime of an unworthy
Communion, and how awful are its consequences. This
crime is the most dreadful of all sacrileges ; it is the
profanation of the most august of all the sacraments,
and of all that is most holy in religion ; it profanes, in the
most outrageous manner, the humanity and divinity of
Jesus Chiist; it unites, as far as in its power, iniinite sanc-
tity with iniquity, making the adorable blood of our divine
Savior flow through veins infected with the abominable
venom of sin. The unworthy communicant is guilty of a
perfidy and a treason similar to that of Judas : like him he
delivers his divine Master to his most cruel enemies ; like
him, having been loaded with benefits, he violates the
most sacred rights of friendship and gratitude ; he cruci
fies him anew ; he makes him the sport of his vile pas-
sions, and tramples under foot the blood of the New Cove-
naiit. How aiopalling are the consequences of this enormous
crime I He who communicates unworthily, eats and drinks
judgment and damnation. The unworthy communicant eats
and drinks the very decree that condemns him ; he incor-
porates himself with it, and renders that decree in some
sort inevitable. Food is inseparable from him who takes it ;
it changes itself into his flesh and blood ; it becomes one and
the same thing with hun, so Ihat it is impossible again to
separate them. In like manner, the unworthy communicant
eats his judgment ; he changes it, if we may so speak, into
himself; his condemnation is written, not in a book, nor
upon tables of stone or marble, but upon his own heart ; it
passes, as it were, into his veins ; he carries it incessantly
with hmi. 0 terrible punishment, which can come but
from the anger of a God cruelly outraged ! It ordinarily
happens that he who commits this crime, falls into hard-
ness of heart and a blindness of mind, which lead to linal
imijenitence. Of this we have a frightful example in the
perlidy'of Judas. Hardly had he received the Holy Eucha-
rist, when his mind became obscured, and his heart insen-
sible; nothing any longer arrested liis course; he aroso
• I Cor., »i, 27, ao.
CrmVORTIIY COMMUNION. 261
abruptly from the table, and consummated Ms crime And
how did his sacrilege terminate? In despair, death, and
eternal reprobation. We must not, however, conclude
from all this, that a person who has made an unworthy
Communion, should despair of his salvation. God forbid.
How great soever his crmie may be, he has a resource, for
the mercy of God is infinite, and if he recurs to it with an
humble and contrite heart, he will not be rejected ; the
pi'ecious blood which he has i:)rofane:i can yet purify him.
But what we are to conclude is? that this crime is hard to
be expiated ; that he who profanes the body and blood of
the Lord, is seldom found to enter into himself; and that
eveiy precaution should be taken against so dreadful an
evil: yet should we happen to commit it, we must repent
without delay, and have recourse as soon as possible to
the sacrament of Penance.
The Holy Scriptures furnish an awful example of the
effects of an unworthy Communion, in the person of Judas,
who had the wickedness to receiA'^e our Lord, though his
soul was sullied with the crime of avarice, and his mind
full of the dark project of betraying him. No sooner had
he communicated, than Satan entered into him ; he sold
his good Master, and delivered him to his enemies; nor
could the embi'ace of the Son of God, nor the sweet name
of friend by which he addressed him, soften his savage
heart. But what was the end of this monster, the just ob-
ject of eternal execration ? He fell into despaii', became
his own executioner, and, having hanged himself, his bow-
els gushed out, and his unhappy soul descended into hell,
wiiere it has been for upwards of eighteen hundred years ;
and alas ! all these ages are not even a moment compared
with that long eternity during which he is to remain in
that place of torments '
Exercises —1. What have you to say of persons who communicate
in the state of mortal sin ? — 2. What does St. Paul say of such per-
sons ? — 3. Is tlio crime of an unworthy Communion very enormous,
and why ? — 4. Should he who has the misfortune to communicate un-
worthily despair of salvation ?
262 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
SECTION v:
Of Frequent Communion,
The Apostle St. Paul, after having spoken in the strong-
est tei'ms of the enormity of an unworthy Communion,
does not advi.se us to abstain from the Holy Eucharist, but
say.s, " Let a man prove himself, and so lAt him eat of that
jbread, and drink of the chalice.'* The fear of communi-
cating unworthily should not cause us to withdraw from
the holy table, but it ought to engage us to examine se-
riously our dispositions, and redouble our vigilance, that we
may approach frequently and worthily to so august a sacra-
ment. To communicate unworthily is, without doubt, a
great evil ; not to communicate is another ; both lead in-
evitably to eternal death. Tlie Eucharist is necessary to
preserve the soul in the spiritual life of grace ; for the soul,
like the body, becomes gradually exhausted, if care is not
taken to repair its strength. The means which Jesus Christ
has established for preserving tliis strength, is the holy
sacrament of the Eucharist. "Except you eat the flesh of
the Son of Man," says he, " and drink his blood, you shall
not have life in vou."t He has instituted it under the
species of bread and wine, to show that we ought to re-
ceive it frequently. The Holy Eucharist ought to be the
ordinary nourislunent of the soul, as bread and vnne. are
the ordinary nourishment of the body. In the early ages of
Chi-istianity, the faithful well understood this truth ; they
regarded the Holy Eucharist as the daily bread of the
children of God ; they received it, therefore, every day,
and feared nothing so much as to be deprived of this pre-
cious nourishment. The Council of Trent declares its
desire that the faithful, every day they assist at Mass,
participate, not only spiritually, but really, of this divine
banquet. Another Council, after deploring the negligence
of Chi'istians in communicating but once a year, exliorts
all pastors to instruct their people, on the former frequent
iise of Communion in the Church ; on th© wonderful fruit
• 1 Cor., xi, 28- t John, vi, 54-
FREQUENT COMMUNION. 203
it produced ; and to persuade them, that there was no
means more proper for bringing back those happy days of
primitive fervor, than the devout reception of the adorable
Eucharist. If, then, the Church does not rigorously oblige
the faithful to more than one Communion in the year, it is
not that she tliinks this one Communion sufficient to pre-
serve, in her children, the spiritual life of grace ; she does
not impose upon them the obligation of communicating
moi-e frequently, throughfear of multiplying transgressions
or sacrileges ; but she desires th it they should be sufficient-
ly pure to communicate as frequently as would be necessary
for jjrcserving, by virtue of the Eucharist, the life and vigor
of their souls. If we loved God, we would frequently unite
ourselves to Him ; He invites us to this sacred banquet :
" Come to Me, all you that labor and are burdened, and I
will refresh you ;'"* come with confidence, and fear nothing ;
come to Me, your Father, and I will give you the most
touching pledge of my affection ; come to Me. your God,
and I wUl replenish you with my most precious graces. The
most prudent course that can be pursued with regard to
frequent Communion is, to go frequently to confession, at
least at the approach of the great festivals, and then follow
the advice of the confessor, as to the occasions on which
we should approach the sacred table. Another practice ex-
tremely advantageous is, to make, from time to time, a
spiritual Communion. It may be made in the following
manner : recollect yourself for a moment, and profoundly
adore our Lord present in the Holy Eucharist ; then, with
an ardent desire of receiving Jesus Christ really, invite him
reverently to come into your heart, and take entu-e pos-
session of it.
A little boy, named Albinus, not havuag yet arrived at
the age required for First Communion, sighed incessantly
for the happy day on which he was to receive his God,
hidden under the Eucharistic veils, and he spared no pains
to dispose himself for so holy an action. So lively was his
horror of sin, that he dreaded even the shadow of evil.
* Matt., xi, ^.
254 BUTIBa OF A CHRISTIAN.
Frequently was he heard to saj', that ho would not suflFer
ihe devi to enter his heart, before his Lord and Redeemer.
He applied himself constantly to learn all that he should
know concerning the Sacrament of the Ahar, and not only
endeavored to retain well the words of his catechism, but
by seeking instruction and by reflection, he endeavored
also to penetrate their meaning. The innocence of his life,
the extreme desire which he expressed, and the fervor and
earnestness with which he prepared himself, determined
his confessor to admit him to the holy table at an earlier
age than other children. Albums, with lively sentiments
of joy and gratitude, thanked his confessor, and thought
of nothing but of redoubling his efforts to purify his soul
more and more, and of preparing it as a dwelling not un-
worthy of the divine Guest who was about to visit it. Before
liis Communion, he made a spiritual retreat, and a general
confession. To see the torrent of tears which he shed, and
the lively sorrow of heart wliich ho'manifested, one would
suppose thit there was not a greater sinner upon earth.
Although he had never sullied the precious robe of his
baptismal innocence by the commission of a single mortal
sin, yet the light of grace, which dwelt within him, made
him regard his lightest faults as so many odious monsters,
and caused hun to grieve continually, that he had been so
unfortunate as to oflend, even venially, a God so good and
loving, whom he was now to receive as the nourishment
of his soul.
In these, and similar sentiments, he passed his retreat.
The happy moment, for which he had long sighed, having at
length arrived, he received the Holy Communion. It would
be impossible to describe adequately his piefy and angelic
demeanor on this solemn occasion. The devotion of his
heart manifested itself in sighs, tears, and transports of
love and gratitude. " Yes, my God,"' said he, "since Thou
hast been so good as to give Thyself to me, I give myself
entu-ely to Thee -, since Thou hast united Thyself so inti-
mately with me. nothing shall henceforth separate me from
Thee. I should, indeed, be the most ungrateful of creatm-es,
if I did not consecrate my heart, without reserve, to a God
who has loved me vfith an intinit« love."
THE SAORIFIOB OF THE MASS. 2b3
These were not the sentiments of a passing fervor, which
ramsh with the occasion thjit gave Lhem birth. Albinus
never forgot this blessed and happy day, nor the engage-
ments wliich he then contracted with God. Th« body and
blood ofour Lord Jesus Christ which he received, became tc
him a salutary nourishment, which produced a senskble in-
crease in virtue and piety. Far from satisfying hi^ hunger,
this heavenly bread served, on the contrary, but to redouble
it. lie cojitinued to approach the holy table every fortnight,
knowing well that this heavenly food is as necessary for the
soul, as earthly nourishment is for the body, and that it it
impossible to persevere constantly in the path of innocence
and pietj'', without frequently receiving this adorable sac-
rament.
ExRECiSi:s — 1. Should the fear of eo:nmimieating unworthily prevent
us from aiiproachint; the I'uly Eucharist ? — 2. What was the practice
of the primitive Christians -csiieeling the Holy Communion ? —-3 Why
does the Church not reqtiire us to communicate oftener than once a
year ? — 4. How may spiritual Communion be made ?
SECTION VJ.
Of the Sacrifice of the Mass.
The Eucharist is not only a sacrament, in which our Lord
Jesus Christ gives himself to us to be the spiritual nomash-
ment of our soul ; it is also a sacrifice, in which he offers
himself for us as a victim to Iris Eternal Father. Not satisfied
with having once offered himself upon the cross for our
I'edomption, he has left in his Church a sacrifice, which rep-
resents that of the cross, applies to us its merits, and
wliich will perpetuate its remembrance to the end of the
world. It was for this reason, that, having at his last supper
offered his sacred body and blood, under the appearances
of bread and wine, to his Eternal Father, and given them
to be eaten and drunk by the Apostles, he constituted
these Apostles Priests of the New Covenant, commanding
them and their successors m the ministry to do what he had
266 DUTIES 0I<' A CHRISTIAN.
done. "Do this," said he, " for a commemoration of me/ ' *
Such is, and has been, at all times, the universal belief of
the Catholic Church.
The Sacrifice of the Mass is the representation and the
Fenewal of that of the cross ; the representation, because
the separate consecration of the broad and wine reminds us
forcibly of the real separation of our Lord's body and blood,
wliich took place at his death ; the renewal, because it ia
the same Victim, the same Host, the same High Priest, and,
consequently, tlie same sacrifice, which is offered on the
altar, as was once ofiered upon the cioss. The only diflfer-
ence is in the manner of offering. On the oi-oss Christ
offered himself by hunself ; on the altar he offers himself
by the ministry of his Priests ; on the cross he offered him-
self in a bloody manner ; on the altar he offers himself in
an unbloody manner. Such is the sacrifice of the Christian
religion ; an august sacrifice, which unites in itself all the
advantages of which the different sacrifices of the Old Law
were but the types and figures. It is a sacrifice of adora-
tion, by which we acknowledge the sovereign dominion
which God has over all his creatures ; a sacrifice of thanks-
giving, by which we thank Him for all his benefits ; a
sacrifice of impetration, by which we obtain new favors ;
and a sacrifice of propitiation, by which we appease his
justice.
By the oblation which Jesus Christ makes of hunself to
his Father, he renders the most perfect homage that can
be offered to the Deity ; and nothing can incline God
more efficaciously to look on us with an eye of mercy,
than to remind Him of the cruel death to which liis be-
loved Son willingly submitted, in order to reconcile us with
Him.
Listructed in the Eucharistic mystery, persuaded that
Jesus Christ is really present upon the altar, and that he
there renews and perpetuates the remembrance of his
death, with what piety and gratitude ought we assist at
tliis august sacrifice ! Had we been present on Calvaiy at the
crucifixion of our Lord, would we not have been penetrated
• Luke, xxii, 19.
THE 3A0RIFICR OF THE MAS8. 25 (
with sorrow, compunction, and love, at beholding so touch-
ing a spectacle ? And since the Sacrifice of the Mass is
the very same as that of the cross, ought not the like sen-
timents to animate us when we assist at it ? We should offer
the Mass to God in union with the Priest, and for the
intentions with which he offers. We should, in particular,
offer this adorable sacrifice to render to God the sovereign
worship which is due to Him alone, in thanksgiving for all
his benefits, for the remission of our sins, and to obtain all
the graces of wliich we stand in need.
The Mass can be offered to God only, because it is a
homage of our dependence and servitude. It is sometimes
offered in memory of the saints, to praise and thank God
for the victories wliich they have obtained by the assistance
of his grace, and for the glory with which He has crowned
them in Heaven, and to beg that they may unite their
prayers with ours while we assist at this holy sacrifice. It
is offered not only for the living, but also for the dead,
who are still expiating their sins in pui-gatory. The Church
begs for them, through the merits of this sacrifice, that
their souls may be comforted in the pains which they suffer,
and that they may be speedily delivered from them, and
enter into Heaven. This offering of sacrifice for the dead
is of the earliest antiquity, and has come down to us from
the very time of the Apostles.
A good and pious mother of a family was accustomed to
hear Mass every day. On Sunday, she offered it to com-
ply with the precept of the Church ; on Monday, for the
souls in purgatory ; on Tuesday, for the conversion of sin-
ners, and perseverance of the just; on Wednesday, to
thank God for the favors bestowed on the angels and
saints ; on Thursday, in honor of Jesus Chi-ist, in the most
Blessed Sacrament ; on Friday, in honor of his sacred pas-
sion ; and on Saturday, in honor of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, placing herself and her fi^mily under her protection.
She was long faithful to this pious practice, and was con-
vinced, that by means of it, she had drawn down many
blessings on herself and family.
268 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
William Rufiu, a student, whose life was a model of
youthful piety, felt the greatest delight in assisting at tha
holy Sacrifice of the Mass. He acquitted himself of this
duty with such tender piety and angelic fervor, that it was
impossible to see him without being excited to devotion ;
and we may safely assert, that it was by means of this holy
exercise, that he obtained from God many of those extraor-
dinary graces, which elevated him to so eminent a degree
of sanctitJ^ — Carron.
Exercises. — 1 Is the Eucharist anything else tban a sacrament ?—
2. What name is given to the Eucharist considered as a sacrifice ? —
3- — Of what is the Sacrifice of the Mass the representation and re-
newal ? — 4. Of what duties do we acquit ourselves by the Sacrifice of
the Mass '1 — 5. What homage does Jesus Christ render the Deity by
this adorable sacrifice 1 — 6. How should we assist at the holy Sacrifice
of the Mass ? — 7- To whom alone is the Sacrifice of the Mass offered ?
— 8 Is this Sacrifice offered up only for the living ?
CHAPTER V.
OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE.
SECTION i.
Of the Nature, Form, and Necessity of Penance.
Penance is a sacrament which remits the sins committed
after Baptism, however great or numerous they may be,
provided the sinner accuse himself of them withth® neces-
sary dispositions. This sacrament was instituted by Jesus
Christ, when, after his resurrection, he breathed upon his
Apostles, and said: "Eeceiveye the Holy Ghost ; whose
sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose
Bins you shall retain, they are retained.' "* Again, ho says,
"Amen, I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon
earth, shall be bound also in Heaven, and whatsoever you
shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in Heaven."!
The form of this sacrament consists in the words of the
Priest, who is the minister of it : "I absolve thee fiom tliy
sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of tho
• John, XX, 22, 23. t Matt., xviii, 18-
THE TfEOESSITT OP PENANCE. 269
Holy Ghost." The remote and necessary matter of this sacra-
ment is, every mortal sin,, committed after Baptism, and
not already confessed. Sufficient, though not necessary, TOa^
ter, is every venial sin committed after Baptism, as is also
every mortal sin, which was duly confessed. The proximate
matter consists in the acts of the penitent ; viz, contrition,
confession, and satisfaction, the last of which is only in-
tegral ; the fu'st two are essential.
Hear the Fathers of Trent on the necessity of the sacra-
ment of Penance : " For those who fall into sin after Bap-
tism," said they, " the sacrament of Penance is as necessary
to salvation, as Baptism for those who have not been already
baptized." St. Jerome calls Penance " a second plank ; "
for, " as he who suffers shipwreck," observes the Catechism
of the Council of Trent, " has no hope of safety, unless,
perchance, he seize on some plank from the wreck ; so he
that suffers the shipwreck of baptismal innocence, unless
he cling to the saving plank of Penance, may abandon all
hope of salvation."
Whoever, then, has committed mortal sin, cannot obtain
the remission of it but by means of this sacrament, or by
an act of perfect contrition, which includes the desire of
receiving it. Let no one, therefore, say, " I will do penance
in private, I will do penance before God." This does not
suffice, says St. Augustine; you must ho,ve recourse to the
sacrament. As the sins committed before Baptism can be
remitted only by this first sacrament, so the sins committed
after Baptism cannot be remitted but by the sacrament of
Penance. I speak of mortal sins, because venial sins may
be remitted by j^rayers and other good works. It is, not-
withstanding, very useful to confess venial sins, and to re-
ceive absolution for them, because it is sometimes exceed-
ingly difficult to distinguish venial sins from those which
are mortal, and because the absolution wliich we receive
augments the grace of God in our soul. The sacrament of
Penance is a kind of second Baptism, which is offered to
sinners who have lost the grace of the first ; but this second
is both painful and laborious ; it requires tears, sighs, and
labors. In the first Baptism, God displays his pure mercy,
270 UUT'KS OF A CHRISTIAN.
and grants the sinner pardon \vithout any reserve whatever;
ill the second, He mixes justice vnth mercy, and is recon
ciled with him on conditions painful and humiliating. Be-
sides, the holy rigors of penance are not only a salutary
remedy for the expiation of past sins, but also a curb,
which prevents theu- repetition ; repressing our passions,
and obliging us to be, for the future, more vigilant and
firm in resisting the seductive attractions of the woi'ld and
the flesh. To receive worthily the sacrament of Penance,
three things are necessary ; namely, contrition, confession,
and satisfaction.
Monseigneur de La Mo the d' Orleans, Bishop of Amiens,
confessed every eight days. During his preparation he
usually made three stations ; the first in hell, the second
in Heaven, and the third on Calvary. He first entered in
spirit the prison of ihe damned, and imagined he there saw
the place to wliich he feared he had deserved to be consigned
in the midst of devouring and eternal fii-e, in the society
of the reprobate. He then returned thanks to God for hav-
ing hitherto preserved him from falling into this frightful
abyss ; begged of Hun to show him mercy j and prayed
for all the graces necessary for his perseverance ui virtue.
He then entered the abode of the blessed — the dwelling-
place of glory and happiness, — and wept to think that by
sin he had closed its gates ; he begged of the Lord to open
them to him, and mvoked the Blessed Vugin and the saints
to assist him that, by their intercession, he might obtain a
share in the happiness which they possess, and that glory
with which they are crowned. He afterwards went in spu-it
to Mount Calvary, and reflecting devoutly and attentively
on all our Blessed Lord had suffered, he said: "Behold
my work 1 I am the cause of those sorrows which my Lord
has endui'ed ; my sins, with those of other sinners, have
covered the body of the Man-God with wounds and blood,
and have nailed him to the cross. 0 good Jesus, what evil
hast thou done ? How have I been capable of treating thee
80 cruelly, who art deserving of an infinite love 1 Thou, 0
deai'est Eedeemer, art infinitely good ; shall I not, there-
OF OONTKITION. 271
fore, love thee with all my strength ? Yes, Lord, I love
thee with my whole heart ; and I bitterly regret that I
have ever offended thee !''
Wh:it happy fruits should we not derive from our con-
fessions, what progress should we not make in the way of
God, were we to follow the method of this virtuous prelate I
Exercises. — 1. What is Penance, and by whom was it instituted ? —
2. What aro the form and matter of this sacrament ?— 3. What do the
holy Fathers say of the necessity of the sacrament of Penance ? — 4 What
must a person do who has had the misfortune to lose the grace of God
by mortal sin ? — 5. Can venial sins be remitted by other means than
by the sacrament of Penance ? — 6. What difference is there between
this sacrament and that of Baptism ?
SECTION 11.
Of Contrition.
Contrition is a hearty sorrow and detestation of sin com-
mitted, with a firm resolution of sinning no more. This
first disposition is so necessary, that, without it, no sin,
not even venial, can be forgiveii. A sick man who has lost
the use of speech, is dispensed from confession ; an im-
mediate death after confession exempts from satisfaction,
at least in this life -, but nothing whatever can dispense
from contrition.
God promises pardon to those only who are converted to
Him \vith their whole heart, in the bitterness of profound
sorrow, and who rend their heart and not their garments.
Contrition, to be sincere, must have six conditions. It must
be interior ; that is, it must be in the heart, and not merely
upon the lips. Hence, to read, or to repeat acts of contri-
tion, is not alone suflBcient ; it is the heart that has sinned ;
in the heart, then, the sorrow and detestation of sin must
exist. Contrition must be supernatural ; that is, it must
arise from a supernatural motive. It must be excited by a
motion of the Holy Ghost, and not by a merely natural
motive. To detest sin because it has occasioned some
temporal calamity, as, punishment, sickness, or loss of
272 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
goods, is not a sorrow sufficient to obtain pardon. The mo-
tives of true repentance are: the enormity of sin; the
offence it offers to God. and the displeasure it gives Him ;
the loss of Heaven ; the fear of hell ; our ingratitude to
Jesus Christ, who has done and suffered so much for its
expiation. Some one of these, or of such motives, is neces-
sary in order to render our sorrow supernatural. Contrition
must be sovereign ; that is, it must be greater than any
other sorrow whatever, so that we must be disposed to lose
evexy thing in this world, rather than again be guilty of sin.
Sin is, in reality, the greatest of all evils, and causes us to
lose the greatest of all goods, the sovereign Good. We
ought, then, to be more aflflicted for having committed it,
than if we had suffered all possible temporal evils. It is not
necessary, however, that this sorrow be sensible ; it can exist
in the heart, without manifesting itself exteriorly, except
by works, which are, at the same time, its effects, and the
proofs of its sincerity. Contrition must be universal ; that
is, it must extend to all our mortal sins. If there remain
a single mortal sin, to which the heart is attached, there is
no true contrition. Every mortal sin is a grievous injury to
God, and deserves everlasting punishment. There is not
one, then, which we should not sincerely detest, if we are
desirous of recovering God's favor. Contrition must be
accompanied with a,Jirm purpose of sinning no inore, &c. ;*
for the kind of contiition required by the CouncU of Trent
is, " a sorrow of the soul, and detestation of sin committed,
with a purpose of sinning no more." In fine, contrition
must also b© accompanied with the hope of pardon, ''other-
wise,'" remarks St. Liguori, " it will be like the sorrow of
the damned, who are sorry for their sins, not because they
are offences against God, but because the;^ are the cause
of their sufferings ; but their sorrow is without hope of
pardon.''
To repent sincerely of our sins, we must beg it of God by
humble prayer. We can go astray and offend God ; but we
cannot, without his assistance, repent as we ought. We
should also reflect attentively on the motives capable oi
* See next section.
OF CONTRITION. 273
exciting this sorrow in our heart. We should consider who
He is whom we have offendod. He is our Creator, our
Father, who has given us all that we possess; and who
deigned, in liis infinite mercy, to redeem us with the
blood of his beloved Son. We should also remember to
what evils we expose ourselves by sin ; it renders us
deserving of hell, that abyss of torments, rage, and despau',
where body and soul shall burn eternally. It also deprives
us of eternal happiness. To these considerations, we should
add another, that of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and of what he has done for the expiation of sin, to merit
for us the grace of true repentance, and the mercy of his
Eternal Father. It is impossible to reflect seriously on these
great truths, without being moved by them, or without con-
ceiving a deep and sincere detestation of mortal sin.
There are two kinds of contrition ; perfect and imperfect.
Imperfect contrition is also called attrition. Perfect con-
trition is a sorrow for having offended God, because He is
sovereignly good and amiable, and because sin displeases
Hub ; its motive is the love of God ; and its effect is to
remit sin by itself, provided that the person has a sincere
desii-e of confessing, and has not an opportunity of doing
so at the time. Imperfect contrition, or attrition, is a sorrow
for having offended God, on account of the turpitude of sin,
the fear of eternal punishment, or the loss of eternal beati-
tude. Its motives not being sufficiently pure, it cannot of
itself remit sin ; but it is sufficient when joined to absolu-
tion, and the confession of sins, provided that it contains a
firm hope of pardon, and a beginning of the love of God.
Contrition should not only embrace the past ; it should
also extend itself to the future, by a firm purpose of never
again committing sin. We find in the penitent Magdalene
un admirable model of a contrition possessing all the re-
quisite conditions. As soon as she heard that our Lord was
at the house of the Pharisee, faithful to the grace which
impelled her, she went thither witliout delay. She was not
ashamed to manifest lier repentance before all, as she had
not been ashamed to give public scandal, by her past irreg
274 DUTIBa OF A CHRISTIAN.
ularities. She entered the room in which the company
had assembled, and not daring to appear before Jesus
Chi'ist, she humbly cast herself at his feet, washed them
with her tears, and wijjed them with her haii-. She then
poured upon them a vessel of precious ointment, which she
had brought with her ; thus making use, for the expiation
of her sins, of all that she had hitherto employed in offend-
ing God. So mtense was the love from which her grief pro-
ceeded, that sh» merited to hear from the mouth of Jesus
Christ these consoling words : " Many sins are forgiven
her, because she hath loved much."*
ExEECiSEs-— 1. What is Contrition, and what is said of its necessity 7
-2. What are the conditions of since contrition ? — 3. Can we, of our-
selves, repent sincerely for our sins ? — 4. What considerations will help
to excite this sorrow ? — 5. How many kinds of contrition are there, and
what is tiie difference between them ?
SECTION III.
Of a Firm Purpose of sinning no more.
We cannot obtain pardon of our sins unless we renounce
them with our whole heart, and are disposed, like holy
David, when he thus expressed himself; I have sworn and
am resolved to keep God's Commandments. God himself
points out the necessity of a fii'm purpose. " Let the wicked
forsake his way, and the unjust man his thoughts ; and let
hhn return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him.'"t
There is, then, no mercy to be hoped for, except sin is
renounced. God will not pardon sin without sincere repent-
ance, and this repentance necessarily requhes a firm pur-
pose of amendment ; for would it not be a mockery of
God, to ask Him for the pardon of a sin, which we were de-
sirous of again committing ? A purpose, to be sincere, must
have three conditions. It must be^^rwi, that is, it must
be a purpose of resolutely suffermg every evil rather than
offend God by relapsing into sin ; universal, extending to
• Lake, vii, 47. t laaiai, Iv, 7.
FIRM PURPOSK OF AMENDMENT. 275
every mortal sin ; nnd, finally, efficacious, making us prac-
tise the means necessary to avoid sin.
There are three marks by which this fii-m purpose may
be known. The fii'st is a change of life. A young person
who was proud, obstinate, disobedient, a liar, negligent of
his duties, dissipated in his pious exercises, becomes meek,
humble, obedient, laborious, a lover of truth, recollected
in prayer, modest in the church ; here is a sensible proof
of the sincerity of his resolution ; we can entertain no doubt
that his repentance was sincere. But can we suppose that
he in whom no change of conduct is perceived, has truly
renounced his sins ? His promises were upon his lips, but
were they from his heart ? Without a resolution of amend-
ment, it is impossible to have true repentance.
The second mai'k is, to avoid the occasions of sin. There
are two sorts of occasions ; the fu'st lead of themselves to
sin, such as bad books, plays, bad companj'', &c. ; and the
second are occasions of sin on account of the wealcness and
dispositions of those who engage in them ; such are certain
professions, legitimate in themselves, l)ut which become an
occasion of offending God to those who have not sufficient
light or strength to discharge the duties of those profes-
sions. A person is bound to avoid all immediate occasions of
sin, and if he remains willingly in them, it is a proof that he
has not a firm purjjose of amendment. " He that loveth
danger shall perish in it.''* It sometimes costs much to
nature to separate ourselves from these occasions ; but we
must resolve to make the sacrifice, if we desire not to be
lost for eternity. In this sense we should understand
these words of our Lord : ''If thy right eye scandaUze thee,
pluck it out .... and if thy right hand scandaUze thee, cut
it off and cast it from thee ; for it is expedient for thee
that one of thy members should perish, rather than that
thy whole body go into hell :"t that is, though what is an
occasion of sin, be to you as dear and precious as an eye
or the right arm, you must separate yourself from it, if you
wish to be saved.
The third mark of a fii*m purpose of amendment is, to
• Ecolus. in, 27. t Matt., v, 29, 30.
276 DUTIES OF / OHRISTIAIf.
labor to destroy our bad habits, and our facility in com
mitting certain sins, into which we frequently fall. For thia
jjurpose, we should carefully wntch over ourselves, confess
frequently, perform actions contrary to our bad habits ;
acts of meekness in opposition to anger, of obedienca in
ojiposition to indocility, of humility in opposition to pride,
&c. We should also imposo on ourselves some penitential
work, a short i^rayer, for instance, every time we yield to
these evil habits. If a person makes no effort to overcome
himself ; if he does not-avoid the dangerous occasions ot
falling; if his falls are as frequent as before ; if he does
not lament them before God, and purify himself by frequent
confession, it is a sign that his purpose was not sincere.
In the fourth century. Sapor, king of Persia, violently
persecuted the Christians, and ordered that death should
be mflicted on every Priest who refused to renounce Jesus
Christ. St. Simeon, Archbishop of Seleucia, a most zealous
prelate, and a powerful defender of the Christian faith, was
brought before liim. Sapor exhorted him to adore the sun,
making him the most magnificent promises if he would
obey ; but threatening, in case of disobedience, to put him
to death, and to banish all the Christians in his empire.
Simeon replied : " I will not adore the sun ; to do so would
be a betrayal of my religion." The king ordered him to
piison. hoping that the cruel treatment he should receive,
would induce him to change Ms determination. As he was
loci thither, an old eunuch, named Usthazanes, the super-
intendent of .the imperial palace, and who had been once a
Christian, was deeply affected on seeing the holy Arch-
bishop and bowed down before him in token of respect. The
Archbishop, to show the little value which he set on any
testimony of respect coming from one who had renounced
liis rehgion, turned aside his head, reproaching him, by this
movement, with his cowardice and impiety in adoring the
*un and denying his faith. The eunuch, unable to bear
this well -merited treatment, burst into tears, and depart-
ing, dressed himself in mournmg, to give pubUc proof of
his repentance. Thus clothed, he repaired to the palace,
FIRM PUkPO.-sR OF AMENDMENT. 277
and, bathed in tears, exclaimed: " Miserable wretch that I
am ! what am 1 to expect from Jesus Clii-ist, whom I have
60 shamefully renounced, if I am so sensible of the con-
tempt shown me, on account of my apostacy, by Simeon,
who is but his minister ?" The king, hearing that his favor-
ite eunuch was much afflicted, had him conducted into his
presence, and asked what disgrace had befallen him. " Oh !"
replied the eunuch, " would that every disgrace had fallen
upon me rather than that which has caused my sorrow. I
weep that 1 am not dead ; that I can yet see that sun,
which I had the misfortune to adore, rather tlian excite
your displeasure. I deserve a double death ; one for hav-
ing betrayed Jesus Christ, my adorable Redeemer, and
the other for having deceived you." Maving said this,
he protested, in the most earnest terms, that he would
never again pi-ove a traitor to Him whom he acknowledged
and adored as his God. At these words, Sapor became en-
raged, and swore he would put to death every Christian in
liis realm ; nevertheless, he endeavored, through com-
passion for his age, as he said, to prevail on the eunuch to
change his determination. "No," said this true penitent,
" 1 will never be so senselessly impious as to render to
the creature the worsliip which is due only to the Creator."
The king, seeing his constancy, ordered him to I)o behead-
ed. He heard the sentence with joy, and only begged that
Sapor, in return for the fidelity with which he had served
liim for so many years, might order a herald to pi'oclaim
that he had not been condemned on .account of any crhne
against the state, but because he was a Cliristian. and re-
fused to betray his God. Sapor, hoping that his infle:dble
rigor to an old man, who had so long and faithfully served
hun, would intimidate Christians, granted the request, and
the sentence was executed according to the king's direc-
tion. In the person of this martyr for the faith of Christ,
vsre see an example of true contrition, accompanied with a
dim purpose of amendment.
278 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
, Exercises —1. How many are the marks of a firm purpose of amond-
ment, and what is the first? — 2. What is the second mark of a firm
Durpose ? — 3. What is the third ?
SECTION IV.
Of Confession.
Confession, the second part of the sacrament of Penance,
is an accus.ltion of all one's sins, made to an approved
Priest, for the purpose of obtaining pardon. Every Priest
receives, at his ordination, the power of forgiving sin ; but
he can exercise that povi-er only in virtue of a particular
mission from his Bishop, who prescribes the place and ex-
tent of his jurisdiction. Any Priest who has not received
this mission, or who exercises it without the authority of
the Bishop, cannot, in ordinary circumstances, remit sin.
There are certain grave oflences, the remission of which is
. reserved to the Bishop, for the purpose of inspiring those
who have committed them with a greater horror ; these
are called reserved cases.
We are bound to accuse ourselves of all the mortal sms
we have committed, even of those which he concealed
from the eyes of others, such as evil thoughts and deshes.
This obligation is a natural consequence of the power Jesus
Christ gave to his Apostles of forgiving and retaining sins j
for they cannot judge the consciences of others if they do
not loiow them, nor can they know them except by the
confession of the sinner himself.
Confession should be humble, sincere, and entire. It
should be humble : the penitent should consider himself,
while kneehng beside the confessor, as a criminal prostrate
before the Divine Majesty, humbly aclcnowledging his
crimes ; and while avowing that he is unworthy of forgive-
ness, he should hope to obtain it through the merits of
Jesus Christ. It must be sincere ; that is, he must accuse
himself of his sins exactly as he knows them, and must not
extenuate their enormity either by studied expressions,
or by negligence in his examination of conscience ; neither
is it allowable to aggravate them. It must be entire ; that
OF CONFESSION. 279
is, he must confess the kind, the number, and the consid
erable chcumstances ; the kind , for it is not sufficient to
say in a general manner, I have sinned very much ; but
the penitent must declare in particular, what kind of sin
he has committed, whether it was a theft, a slander, a lie,
&c. Without this, the confessor cannot know the state of
the penitent's soul, nor prescribe suitable remedies and
penances. He must confess the number of his sins, telling
as nearly as he possibly can, how many times he has com-
mitted each sin. If he cannot exact of his memory a faith-
ful account of the number of his sins, he is to declare it in
such manner as he best can ; for example, if it be a sin in
which he has lived for any considerable time, let him tell
about how often he has, on an average, offended during
each day, each week, or each month, as the case may be.
If, however, a person had committed a sin which has not
had this continuance, but into which he has several times
fallen, and cannot remember how often he has thus offend-
ed, he should declare, at least, whether he has committed
it as often as occasion offered, or whether he has some-
times resisted it. He must also declare those aggravating
circumstances which change the species of the sin ; as, the
cu-cumstance of a vessel's being sacred, makes the stealing
of it not only a theft but a sacrilege ; the circumstance of
neighbors, being parents, makes insult or hatred of them,
not only a sin against fraternal charity, but also against
filial love and reverence. Those chcumstances must also
be declared which, though they do not ch.mge the species,
are considered necessary to be known by the confessor ;
as, for example, for estimating the amount of restitution,
&c. But, in order to confess our sins in this manner, we
must know them ; hence, the necessity of the examinaUon
of conscience.
The Empress Jane, a princess ornamented with every
virtue that could add dignity to her exalted station, se-
lected as her confessor, St. John Nepomucene, one of the
canons of the Church of Prague. Her husband, a person
of very suspicious disposition, was desirous of knowing
280 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
what she had confessed, and one day, after she had made
her confession, went to her confessor, requiring him to
reveal what the empress Luci told him. The samtly man
calmly replied, that he could uc: /?veai it : that the secret
of confession was inviolable ; au'l mat what was made
known in confession, was the same as if it w^a never been
revealed. The emperor was irritated, but kej.I a gloomy
silence. Some days after, he sent for St. John, and en-
deavored, by flatteries, promises, and even thi'eata, to in-
duce him to reveal the confession of the empress ; but all
in vain. He then caused him to be treated with the grossest
inhumanity ; but being unable to extort a single word from
liim, and seeing that every means which he had hitherto
employed was incapable of shaking liis constancy, he at
length threatened him with death unless he complied.
" You can put me to death." said the saint, "but you shall
not oblige me to reveal what was confided to me in con-
fession." The emperor, being no longer able to restrain
his fury, ordered St. John to be bound, hands and feet,
and cast into the river. The order was executed ; the holy
Priest was drowned : but his body, having been taken out
of the water was buried, and God was pleased to give public
demonstration of the sanctity of his servant by innumera-
ble mnacles which were wi-ought at his tomb. — Felleu.
Exercises. — 1. What is confession ? — 2. Of what sins are wu to ao
cuse ourselves in confession ? — 3. What qualities should confession
have ? — 4. What is meant by saying that it should be humble ■' niiicere f
rrdirel —b. What is a person to do who cannot remember the exact
number of his sins ? — 6 '•Vhat is meant by aggravating oircumstances ?
SECTION V.
Examination of Conscience.
Necessity of the Examination. — This necessity is founded
upon that of accusing ourselves of all the sins which we
have committed. How can we accuse ourselves or them iJ
we do not imow them? The holy Council of Tt en c requires
that we orepare for confession by a tliiigent self-exarmna-
non. A person who, through neglect of making this exam
BXAMENATION 09 0ONSOU9N0B. 281
oiation, omits to accuse himself of a mortal sin in con-
fession, will not obtain the pardon of his sins, even though
he receives absolution. On the contrary, he will jjrofane
the sacrament, and thus increase his guilt before God.
CoNDiTioxs OF TEE ExAJvoNATiox. — ^This examination ought
to be made with attention. Thi'ough want of attention many
sins are passed over, and not discovered, particularly sins
of omission and of habit -. sins of anger, of thought, of
slander, and the like, to wliich a person easily becomes
accustomed. It ought also to be made with strictness-. For
want of this, we sometimes consider as light and trivial,
sins which are very grievous. Of this number are those
which are opi^osed to the love of the neighbor, and to the
holy virtue of purity. Happy the truly pious, who are
always iu the disposition of not sinning deliberately, in
even the most trivial matter ! They have no need of a long
examination ; and if they happen to commit a consider-
able fault, it is continually present to then- mind ; they
view it as a terrible monster, and will be sure not to forget
it when they go to confession.
Persons who confess but rarely, particularly if they be
not well instructed, will have much difiBculty m discover-
ing their sins : they would dei'ive assistance from the table
of sins, commonly given in prayer oooks.* A knowledge of
their sins, of ,their number, &c., will, by means of this
examination, be acquired by tnose who, desirous of know-
ing them, beg of God the light to discover them, follow an
approved method, and Usten to the dictates of their con-
science.
When persons examine themselves for a general confes-
sion, or for one of some years, it is sometimes advisable to
commit to writing, as a help to the memory, the oins which
they may have discovered. Such persons would do well to
think frequently during their examination, that God is
present, and to say to Him : " Lord, make known to me
the number and enormity of my sins, and grant me, thiough
the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, the grace of confessing
them with sincerity, and of detesting them from the bottom
* Seo St. Patrick's Manual, page 76.
282 DUTIES OF A OHJilSTlAJi.
of my heart." After the examination, they ought to excite
themselves to a hearty sorrow, and make frequent acts of
contrition. It is also recommended to recite slowly, and
with much attention, the confiteor^ or general confession.
A person who was desirous of leading a regular life, made
a retreat of some days, dui'ing which he wrote his general
confession. WhUe he was meditating on hell, and was
penetrated with the salutary thought of the eternal. tor-
ments of the damned, he cast his eyes on the paper which
contained his confession. At the sight of the sins of his
entire life, his fears redoubled, and taking the paper, he
said, " Oh what fuel for eternal fire !" Such was the im-
pj'ession which this I'eflection produced, that he resolved to
"enounce for ever the follies of the world, and to devote
'imself thenceforward to a life of retirement and regularity.
Exercises. — 1. Ou what is the necessity of the examination of con-
science founded ? — 2. How should it be made ? — 3. Fr.in what may
persons who confess but rarely derive much assistance ? — 4. What
other means may be employed as a help to the memory ?
SECTION VI.
Of Sacrilegious Confession.
To receive absolution without the necessary dispositions,
would not only I'ender it null and void, but would be a new
■^in, — a sacrilege, being a profanation of the sacrament. In
itead, then, of appeasing the anger of God, we, by a bad
confession, outrage Him, trample upon the adorable blood
of his Son, and profane it in a manner more criminal than
when the Jews shed it on the cross ; thus changing into a
poison, the remedy which had been pi'epared to heal us.
^lany young persons, it is to be feared, render themselves
guilty of this crime. What are the causes of so deplorable
a misfortune ? In some it is the shame of declaring certain
sins. The devil, that spiiit of malice and deceit, dhninishes
in their sight, the enormity of the sin, when they are
committmg it ; but, when there is question of confessing
it, he shows it to them in all its turpitude. Nothing can ba
SAOiULEOIOUS CONFESSION, 283
more foolish than this false shame. The confessor is obliged
by all laws, natural, human, and divine, to observe the most
inviolable secrecy regarding what is revealed to liim in
confession. Out of that sacred tribunal, he can make no
use whatever of anything that is told him. We should not
be apprehensive of reproaches, bittei'ness, or insults ; the
advice which the confessor gives is dictated by the purest
charity. He to whom you declare your sins is not an angel ;
he is a man Uke yourself, subject to weaknesses, and,
therefore, inchned to compassionate yours. He is a faithful
friend, who desu-es your pardon and your return to virtue ;
a tender lather, who will be touched with the marks of
confidence which you give him, and who thiiiks of nothing
but of rendering you assistance. Does shame restrain us,
when there is question of making known to a physician
some disease, particularly when its concealment may cause
death ? The love of life overcomes every repugnance. How,
then, can a person yield to shame, when the soul has re-
ceived a mortal wound? How is it, that he has not strength
to reveal it to him, who alone can apply a s;dutai'y remedy ?
What does he gain by concealing at present from his con-
fessor, the knowledge of his sins ? Can he conceal them
from God ? Must he not confess them at some time or
other ? If he does not, he shall perish eternally ; and, on
the last day, they shall be made known to all mankind.
There are others whom the fear of not being jiermitted
to make their First Communion, or to receive the Blessed
Eucharist at Easter time, prevents from discovering the
state of their soul to their confessor ; but what greater
folly can there be, than to profane two sacraments, rather
than that theu' First Communion or Easter duty should be
postponed ? Many who receive the sacramental absolution
with undue dispositions, consider this apparent remission
of their sms as a real one ; think no more of repenting of
their sins ; pro&ne all the sacraments which they afterwards
receive ; and die, almost always, in the state of final im-
penitence. Others are reproached by their conscience}
durmg their whole hfe, with this enormous crime, and are
exposed to the most frightful despair ; or, being hardened
284 DUTIES OK A CHRISTIAN
in their iniquity, they persevere in it until death. The min
ister of God says to them, " Go in peace ; " but God shall
say to these counterfeit penitents, " Go with my maledic
tion." The only remedy for so gi-eat an evil is a general
confession, made with aU the necessary dispositions. He,
on the contrary, who has opened his heart to his confessor,
and who has employed a suitable time in his examination,
is well indemniiied afterwards, for the trouble and pains
which he has undergone. The pain is soon over, and there
remains nothing but the testimony of a good conscience ;
he beUeves that his Communion is well made ; peace reigns
in his heart ; during the whole coui-se of his after-life, ho
blesses the happy moment when he gained a victory over
himself, which secui-ed him a sweet tranquillity here, and
wiU obtain for him an eternal recompense hereafter.
" Take care," said a servant of God, speaking to himself,
" not to render yourself guilty of the blood of Jesus Christ ;
this sacred blood is priceless ; it is the blood of the Just
by excellence ; the blood of a God, by the intimate union
it has with his divinity. This adorable blood has been shed
for my redemption. It is given for my benefit. I can use
it at the sacred tribunal, to purify me from my sins, and
at the table of the Lord, for the nourishment of my soul ;
but, what a monster of ingratitude should I be, if I treated
it like him who tramples it under foot, by maldng a con-
fession without sincerity or true contrition, and communi-
cating afterwards in the state of mortal sin ! Oh ! how well
does he merit hell, who is guilty of this horrible crime ! 0
my Savior !" he added, "do not permit that I render my-
self guilty of your adorable blood. Ah ! rather let me die a
thousand times, than be guilty of so monstrous an ingrat-
itude I"
St. Augustine had the courage to vsrite his confessions,
and publish his errors and disorders, that he might make
known, everywhere, the mercy of God in pardoning tiis
Bins. The himaiUty which he evinced, in thus making known
Tttii MAXNKR OK 0ONl<"iiSSLNG. . 255
his sins, drew down upon him such abundant graces, that
he afterwards became a great saint.
ExEucisHS- —1. What is the result of receiving absolution without
the necessary dispositions ?-2. What are the principal causes of so de-
plorable a misfortune, and what must be done to avoid it ? — 3. What
are the dreadful consequences of a sacrilegious confession ? — 4. What,
on the contrary, are the happy results of a good confession ?
SECTION Vll.
Of the Manner of Confessing.
The penitent places himself on his knees, to express by
this humble posture, the confusion and sorrow with which
he is penetrated for having offended God, whose minister
he acknowledges his confessor to be. He should also humble
himself interiorly, and repent sincerely of having had the
misfortune to commit sin. He addresses the Priest by the
name of father, saying, "Bless me, father, for I have sin-
ned." Your confessor is the father of your soul ; his func-
tion in the holy tribunal is, to introduce Jesus Christ into
your heart, to impart to you the life of gi-ace if you have
lost it, or to increase it if you are living in the sight of
God, by the possession of this treasure. Consider him as a
tender father, tilled with zeal for your salvation, and there-
fore deserving of your respect, confidence, and obedience.
In begging the Priest's blessing, it is not because the pen-
itent has sinned, that he merits that blessing ; by sinning,
he rendered himself unworthy of receiving a blessing froni
God, by the hand of his minister. These words signify :
Obtain for me, father, the grace of a true conversion, that,
being rightly disposed, I may be pardoned my sins, of
which I lepent with my whole heart.
The corifiteor is an excellent form of contrition, and the
penitent should, in i-eciting it, be deeply penetrated with
the sentiments it conveys. He confesses in general to God,
to the Blessed Virgin, to St. Michael, St. John Baptist, the
holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the saints, that
he has sinned exceedingly, and that he can attribute only
to himself, the sins which he has committed. He com-
256 DUTIES OF A CHiaSTlAN.
mends himself to the mercy of God, and invokes the
saints, that he may obtaui mercy thi'ough theii' interces-
sion. After this genei-al declaration, he enters into a de-
tailed accusation to the minister of God, having first told
how long it is since his last confession ; whether he then
received absolution ; and whether he performed, exactly
and religiously, tl^ penance which had been imposed upon
him.
In declaring his sins, he should remember that he ac
cuses himself before his judge, and, consequently, should
speak in a manner expressive of the humihation which he
feels for having offended God, and of the sori-ow with
which he is justly penetrated at the remembrance of his
transgressions. He then declares his sorrow, and begs
penance and absolution of God's minister. In begging
penance, he requests his confessor to ordain what he shall
say or do in punishment for the sins he has committed,
and as a means of preventing him from committing them
for the future. He knows, or he ought to know, that sin
must be pmiished, either in this life, by the voluntary acts
of the penitent, or in the other, by the chastising hand of
God's avenging justice.
In begging the absolution, he acknowledges the power
of remitting sin, which our Lord left to the pastors of his
Church ; he prays that this power may be exercised in his
favor, and then finishes the confiteor. The confessor is
appointed by Jesus Chi-ist, the judge between him and the
sinner; he is therefore obliged to follow the rules of
Christian prudence, and cannot, without betraying his min-
istiy, pronounce a favoi-able sentence, when he has reason
to believe that God will not ratify it. Such criminal indul-
gence would not discharge the penitent from the guilt
of his sins, but would render the confessor guilty of sacri-
lege ; and, instead of being a benefit to the sinner, who is
not rightly disposed, may be the seal of his reprobation —
the cause of his eternal ruin.
A young person who was reputed pious, but wlio had
not sufficient diflSdence in himself, neglected, in time of
op SATISFACTION. 257
temptation, to have recourse to God by humble prayer. He
fell, in consequence, into a sin, which he felt a strong dis-
inclination to confess. Biit regretting sincerely the sin
which he had committed, he said to himself = "Whatever
it may cost me, 1 will go at once to confession, and wiH lay
open my heart to the minister of Jesus Christ." He went
accordingly ; but on his way he felt the disinclination to
confess his sin return, and imagined he heard the devil say
to Mm. "Wliither are you going? ■■ -But he, immediately,
and with great courage and earnestness, replied; "I am
going to confound you, and to cover myself with confu-
sion.'" He who has the courage thus to accuse himself of
his sins, feels, as it were, relieved from an intolerable
burden, and is amply indemnified for the momentary pain
and confusion attending his self-accusation, by the joy and
interior peace which follow it. — Lasattsse.
Exercises-'— 1- What posture should the penitent take while con-
fessing, and by what name should he address the Priest? — 2- AVhat is
the meaning: of the words " Bless me, father, ifec.'' ? —3. With what senti-
ments should the penitent recite the eonjiteor and declare his sins ? —
4. What does he ask of the Priest in finishing the confiteor.^
SECTION vm.
Of Satisfaction.
Satisfaction, which is the third and last part of the sacra-
ment of Penance, is a reparation offered to God, for the
sins which we have committed. Without the acceptance
of the penance imposed, and a sincere desire to perform
it, the sins of the penitent are not remitted. It is God
who forgives sin ; He alone, then, is Master of the condi-
tions to which He annexes pardon. In the sacrament of
Baptism, He pardons the sinner without any satisfaction
whatever, and, therefore, the pastors of the Church do not
impose penance on those whom they baptize, how great
soever their sins may have been. It is not so m the sacra-
ment of Penance. God, by the muiistry of his Priests,
remits the eternal punishment due to sin, if the penitent
has the necessary dispositions ; but there ordinarily re
DUTIES OF A OHRISTTAK,
mains a temporal punishment, to wliich the penitent is
bound to submit. He ought, therefore, to perform with
fideUty the penance imposed in confession, and apply him-
self to the pi'actice of other pious and edifying works, in
order to satisfy, as for as in his power, the justice of God.
Those who die before they satisfy, to the full extent,
this debt of temporal punishment, mustfinishthe expiation
of their sins in purgatory. It is agreeable to the justice of
God, that those who abuse the grace received in Baptism,
and violate its promises, should be received with more
difficulty ~to reconciliation. He who has dishonored the
glorious quahties of child of God, of member of Jesus Christ
and temple of the Holy Ghost: who has treated with
indifference the adorable blood with which he w^xs sancti-
fied, and rendered valueless the grace which he received,
should not tind so easy a pardon as he who has not been
baptized, and whose sins, committed, in great part, through
ignorance, do not bear the same character of ingratitude.
Besides, through the mercy of God, the penitent sinner
derives great advantage from the chastisement which he
receives ; as he linds in it a curb on his passions, and an
excellent remedy against the evil habits which he has
contracted. The penance v/hich the confessor imposes, not
only serves as an expiation of po,st offences, but also tends
to the destruction of the passions from which those offences
proceeded. Thus, humiliations serve to overcome the pas-
sion of pride ; alms, that of avarice; fastijig, thatofintem
perance. &c. : and these penances should, as much as
possible, bear some proportion to the sins committed, and,
therefore, be greater or less according to their number
and enormity.
The most ordinary penitential works are prayer, fasting,
and alms-deeds. By prayer is to be understood all actf?
of religion, pious reading, and assiduity at the divine offi
ces ; by fasting, all that mortifies the senses ; and b-w
ahns, all the assistance given to our neighbor, in his spirit-
ual and corporal necessities. God also accepts, m satisfae
tion for our sins, all the afflictions which befall us ; such
as sickness, injuries, and persecutions ; but to render tJiese
INDULGENCES. 289
valuable in his sight, we must bear them in a spirit o1
penance, and unite them with the sufferings and satisfac
tions of Jesus Clirist, through whose merits alone our
satisfacitorj' works are acceptable to God. Our works are
presented to the Eternal Father by our Lord Jesus Christ,
who imparts to them all their merit and value.
We are also obliged to make satisfaction to our neighbor,
if we have injured liim either in his person, by ill treatment ;
in his honor, by lies and calumny : or in his goods, by theft
or injustice. God will not pardon the sinner, unless he
repairs, as far as in his power, the injury done to his neigh-
bor, in his person, property, or character.
St. Paul the Hermit, St. Anthony, St. Mary of Egj^pt,
and several others, who followed their example, were mod-
els of penance. They renounced all they possessed, hid
themselves in frightful deserts, clothed themselves in
sackcloth, and lived, during the greater portion of their
life, on wild pulse and herbs. They adopted this course of
life, from a deep sense of what vvas due to the justice of
God, and from the conviction, that sin must be atoned for,
either in this world or in the next. — Lasausse.
Exercises. — 1. What is the third part of the saorainent of Penance,
and in wliat does it consist ?— 2. Show us the necessity of satisfaction. —
3. What difference, as regards satisfaction, is there between Baptism
and Penanoe '? — 4. Where are persons to expiate their sins who die be-
fore bavins undergone the temporal punishment due to them ?— 5. What
advantage does the penitent derive from the satisfaction which he is
obliged to make ? — ti. B.v what works may we rei)air the injury dor.e
to God and our neighbor ?
SECTION TX.
Of Indulgence!!.
An indulgence is a remission of the whole or part of the
temporal punishment which ordinarily remains due to sin
after the guilt of it has been remitted. It discharges,
either entirely or in part, from the rigorous penances re-
quired by the ancient canons, and from the temporal
290 DUTIES OF A OHRISTIA*.
cha^itisement due to sin, in siitisfaction to the divine justice,
and wliich must be suffered either here or hereafter ; in
this life, by works of penance ; or in the next, by the suf-
ferings of purgatory. An indulgence, therefore, does not
remit sin, nor the guilt of sin, nor the eternal punishment
due to it, but only the temporal punishment which re-
mains to be endured after these have been remitted. It
either moderates the rigor of that temporary punishment
or shortens its duration.
In the early ages of the Church, public penances of many
years' duration, were imposed on penitent sinners. They
were obliged to pray much, to pass their days in mourning,
and then- nights in watching and tears, to lie upon the
ground, to fast, to give alms, and to exercise themselves
in other works of charity and religion. Although this an-
cient discipline is not at present enforced, yet, we should
constantly I'emember, that the justice of God is the same
now as it was in former ages, and that sin desei'ves pmiish-
ment now as well as it did then. To supjjly the insuffi-
ciency of our satisfactions, the Church, always animated
and directed by the spirit of God, grants indulgences to
her children. She received this power from her divine
Founder, when he said to his Apostles: "Whatsoever you
shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in Heaven; and
whatsoever }'0u shall loose upon earth, sh dl be loosed also
in Heaven.'"* The Church, therefore, has power to inflict
punishment, for the expiation of sin, and also to remit
that punishment, when it is expedient for the glory of God,
or the spiritual good of her children, by granting an in-
dulgence. In the early ages she often, at tiie recom-
mendation of the confessors and martyrs, treated with in-
dulgence, those for whom they had interestetl themselves.
She also, in times of persecution, abridged the term of
penance for those who had commenced it with fervoi, in
order to strengthen them for the combat, and put them
in a condition to resist the violence with which they were
threatened. The infinite and superabundant merits of our
Lord Jesus Chi-ist, and the virtues and good works of his
• Matt, xviii, IB.
CNDULGENCE3. 29 J
holy Mother, and of all the saints, are offered to God by
the Church, in satisfaction for our sins.
Indulgences have been called by the holy Fathers, re-
laxations, remissions, absolutions, reconciliations. They
are of three kinds: namely, plenary indulgences, partial
indulgences, and the indulgence of the jubilee. A plenary
indulgence is the remission of all the temporal punishment
due to our sins. A partial indulgence is the remission of only
a part of that punishment, according to the intention of
the person who grants it, and the disposition of the penitent
who receives it. A jubilee is an extraordinary plenary
indulgence, granted by the Pope to all the faithful in
general. It was formerly granted only once every hundred
years ; but it is now fixed to once in every twenty-five,
besides that which usually follows the accession to the
papal chair of each new j^ontiff.
The Pope, being the head of the Church, can grant in-
dulgences to all the faithful, and as his power, in this
respect, is unlimited, he can grant them plenary or partial,
as he shall judge either proper or useful for the faithful.
Bishops also, in their respective dioceses, can, under cer-
tain cii-cumstances, grant indulgences of a certain limited
time. All these indulgences are attached to the recital of
certain prayers, or to the performance of certain good
works, and they are gained by those only who are in the
state of grace, and who comply exactly with the specified
conditions.
It must not be supposed, that indulgences exempt us
from penitential works ; or that the intention of gaining
them dispenses us from the obligation of doing penance.
Indulgences, on the contrary, always suppose that we do
a part of our penance, and are in a true disjDOsition of per-
forming it. should time and strength permit ; for the
Church grants indulgences to assist our weakness and to
make up for the deficiencies of our penance, and not to
dispense us altogether from its performance. It is for this
reason, no doubt, the Council of Trent declares, that
accordmg to the ancient and approved custom of the
Church, indulgences should be granted with i-eserve and
moderation ; and that the Church, in granting them, ob-
292 DOTIKS OK A OHP!,STUJi.
liges those who wish to gain them, to fast, pray, give alms,
or perform other good works.
A person who had, in his youth, committed many sins,
but who was afterwards converted, and became remarkable
for his piety, recited, every day, with great exactness, a
number of prayers to which indulgences ai-e attachsd. He
also practised, every day, some voluntary mortifications,
and gave alms to the poor proportionate to his station and
cu'cumstances, repeatmg frequently these beautiful words :
" Lord grant me mercy now, and at every moment of my
life, but particularly at the hour of my death. Grant it, I
conjure thee, thi'ough the merits of my Lord Jesus Jiirist,
and the intercession of 'the Blessed Virgin, and of the
angels, and saints. I offer thee, in the spirit of penance,
all my actions and sufferings ; and desire nothing but the
accomplishment of thy ever adorable will." When it was
rej)resented to him, that the mortified Ufe which he led,
might possibly injure his health, and shorten his existence,
his reply was; " It is better to suffer a little in this world,
than to suffer much in the woiid to come." — Catbchisme
DE l'Empike.
Exercises. — 1. What is an indulgenoe ? — 2. Does an indulgence
remit sin, the guilt of sin, or the eternal punishment? — 3. What is the
spirit of the Church in granting indulgences ? — 4. How many kinds of
indulgences are there ? — 5. Who have power to grant indulgences, and
what must be done to obtain them ? — C>. Why do not indulgences ex
empt from doing penance ?
CHAPTER VI.
Of Extreme Unction.
God, who is infinitely good, has not only prepared for us
salutary helps dming life, and whilst m the state of health,
but has also established a sacrament to comfort us in sick-
ness, and, particularly, at the approach of death, for it is
then that temptations are most violent and dangerous. This
sacrament is called Extreme Unction, because it is the last
anointing which a Christian receives. The tii'st anointing
EXTREME XJNOTION. 203
takes place in Baptism ; the second, in Con&mation ; and
the last, in dangerous sickness. Jesus Chi'ist has instituted
Extreme Unction for the spiritual and corporal strength
and comfort of the sick. The Apostle St. James speaks of
it in tlie following terms : '"'Is any man sick among you ?
Let him bring in the Priests of the Church, and let theru
pray over him, anointing hun with oil in the name of the
Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man ; and
the Lord shall raise him up ; and if he be in sins, they shall
be forgiven him."* According to these words, two things
are essential to this sacrament ; the anointing, and the
prayer which accompanies it. The anointing is done with
noly oil, which is blessed by the Bishop on Holy Thursday.
It is aj^plied to each of the senses, to purify it from the
sins of which it may have been the organ and instrument,
the Priest pronouncing at the same time the following
jjrayer : " J\Iay the Lord by this holy Unction, and by his
own iniinite mercy, pardon thee all the sins which tliou
hast committed by the eyes, the smell," etc. This prayer
is most powerful and efficacious, since our Lord has prom-
ised, by the mouth of his Apostle, that he will always
hear it.
This sacrament has three principal effects. The iirst is,
to fortify the sick person against the temptations of the
devil, and the terrors of death. It contirms hi^ faith and
coniidoncein God, and, by this means, it strengthens him
against the attacks of the devil ; it excites in his heart the
deshe and hope of possessing God, and this fortities him
against the fear of death. The more ardent this deshe is,
and the lirmer this hope, the less the fear which the soul
experiences when the hour of death approaches.
The second effect of Extreme Unction is, to efface the
remains of sin, and even sin itself, if any still remains to
be pardoned. By the remains of sin, we are to understand
that weakness and languor which remain in the soul even
after the guilt of sin is pardoned, and wliich cause it to
have still an inchn;ii.ion for the thhigs of earth, and Uttle
rehsh for those of Heaven. Tliis weakness andlanguorare
• James, v, 14, 15-
294 DUTIES OF A CHIUSTIAN.
removed by means of this sacrament, by detaching the soul
from earthly things, and replenishing it with an ardent
deshe for the enjoyment of Heaven. It also remits venial
sins, and even mortal ones which may have been forgotten,
or which the sick person may not be able to confess •, pro-
vided, however, that he have a sincere sorrow for them.
But it is necessary, whenever it is possible to do so, to have
recourse to the sacrament of Penance, Extreme Unction
being a sacrament of the livmg, and therefore to be receivec
in the state of sanctifying grace.
The thii'd eflect ot this sacrament is, to lestore the sicb
person to health, if it be conducive to his everlasting salva-
tion. The receiving of it should, therefore, not be post-
poned to the last moments of life -. for, surely, it is not the
time to expect restoration to health when a person is on
the point of breathing his last. This would be lilve tempt-
ing God, since recovery could not then take place without
an evident miracle. It is sufficient to be dangerously ill in
order to receive Extreme Unction ; and while the mind
remains unimpaired, the sick person is better disposed to
receive it, and to profit of its advantages. In deferring it
to the last moment, one runs the risk of not receiving it at
all ; for many who thus delay, are overtaken by death
before it can be administered. Although this sacrament is
not absolutely indispensable, a person is, notwithstanding,
obli<^ed to have recourse to it, when he can do so. It is the
orduiary means of obtaining a happy deatk ; those who
neglect to receive it, disobey the precept of Jesus Christ ;
they voluntarily deprive themselves of the graces annexed
to it, and, by so doing, put themselves in danger of a bad
death, which is the greatest of all possible misfortunes.
A man who lay dangerously sick, had an only daughter,
a child not more than ten years old, who had learned her
catechism very well, and was instructed in the truths and
practices of our holy religion. She stood by the bed-side of
her dying father, and seemg no preparation for his receiv-
ing the sacraments, she said: " Father, you are very sick :
the doctor has said you shall not live longer than to-morrow;
HOLT ORDERS. 299
and mamma has since been weeping bitterly in the next
room. Now, I have heard at instructions that it would be
very sinful to leave the sick to die without confession, and
yet no one speaks to you about it. Do, father, do send for
the Priest." AtFected by the artless simplicity and the
earnestness with which these words were uttered, the
dying man said : " My dear child, I thank you ; go for him
at once, and may God bless you ; for to you, under God,
I am indebted for my salvation." The Priest came, and
administered the last sacraments to the sick man, who
died on the following day. Frequently did he repeat before
his death: " Oh, were it not for my child, my dear little
child, what would have become of me ?" How consoling to
her during life, to reflect, that she had been the instrument
of so much happiness to her dying parent ! — Lasau.sse.
E.'CERCisF.s. — 1. What is Extreme Unction ? — 2. What two things
are essential to this sacrament, and in what do they consist ? — 3. What
are tlie principal efFocts of Extreme Unction ?— 4. When should this sa-
crament be received, and of what do persons deprive themselves who
neglect its reception ?
GUAPTEll VII.
Of Holy Orders.
The live sacraments treated of, are common to all the
faithful, and all ought to receive them in the times and
circumstances in which these helps are necessary for them.
The two others are for two particular states of life, which,
on account of their importance, and the duties they im-
pose, have need of many powerful graces. The sacrament
of Orders gives pastors to the Church, to rule and govern
it. By the imposition of hands, and the prayers which ac-
company it, they are separated from the rest of the faith-
ful, and receive the power of preaching the Gospel, admin-
istering the sacraments, offering the lioly Sacrifice of the
Mass, and in a word, of exercising the functions of the
sacred ministry. Jesus Christ instituted this sacrament
when he selected his Apostles, and said to them : "As the
296 BTJTIER OF A OHRISTIAX.
Father hath sent me, 1 also send you ; * Going, there
fore, teach ye all nations;! Receive ye the Ilolv
Ghost, whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven
them ; and whose sins ^'•ou shall retain, they are retain-
ed : t f^tid also when, after having instituted the sacrifice
of his body and blood, he added, " Do this for a comraem-
•••oration of me."§
Holy Orders is a sacrament, which gives the power to
perform ecclesiastical functions, .and grace to exercise
them with sanctity. The Apostles received, together with
this power, full authority to communicate it to others. We
learn from the Holy Scriptures, that they ordained Bish-
ops, Priests, and deacons, by the imposition of hands ; and
from Ecclesiastical History we learn, that the first Bishops
ordained by the Apostles, ordained others to succeed
themselves, and this succession, which has never been in-
terrupted, will continue in the Church to the end of the
world.
A person is raised to the dignity of the. priesthood by
different degrees, or orders. Four of these are called
minor orders; namely, porter, lector, exorcist, and aeol-
ijte ; and thi'ee are called major or holy orders ; name-
ly, subdeacon, deacon, and Priest. A state so holy re-
quires corresponding dispositions in those who desu-e
to embrace it. The first of these dispositions is, that
the person be truly called, and do not intrude himself
into so sacred an oflBce: "Neither doth any man take
the honor to liimself," says the Apostle, "but he that is
called by God, as Aaron was." II We should embrace no
state whatever without having consulted God, and en-
deavored to know his holy will; but tliis precaution is
much more necessary when there is question of a state,
the functions of which are so holy and sublime. "You
have not chosen me," said Jesus Christ to his Apostles.
" but I have chosen you, and have appointed you, tliat you
should go, and should bring forth fruit. "IT The second
disposition is, to be animated with zeal for the glory o)
• John, XX, 21. t M.att.. xxviii, 19- t John, xx, 22, 23-
§ Luke, xxii, 19. i Fleb.. v, 4. . If John, xv, 16.
HOr,Y ORDERS. 29 T
God. and tho. salvation of the noighbor. Wop to thosowho
enter this holy state through human views : who consult
only their worldly interests or their ambition ; who pro-
pose to themselves but the acquiring of wealth, or to live
more conveniently or with more respectability. The third
disposition is, to be irrepi-oachable in morals. It is much
to be desired, that those who aspire to the ministrj',
should have preserved the grace of Baptism, or have, at
least, for a long time previously, recovered it by penance,
and led an edifying life. The fourth disposition is, to be
in the state of grace, for it would be an awful sacrilege,
indeed, to receive so holy a sacrament in the state of
mortal sin.
The life and liistory oT a i'licNt are briefly as follows. He
is. by liis office, the friend and protectorof the unfortunate,
the consoler of the afBicted. the defender of the defenceless,
the su^jport of the widow, the father of the orphan, the
repairer of all the disorders and evils engenr' ?red by the
passions and false doctrines of sinful men. His entire life
is a long and heroic devotedness to the happiness of his
fellow-creatures. For their service, he consents to exchange
all the domestic comforts of life, all the enjoyments and
goods which men seek so passionately, for the obscure
labors, and fatiguing duties of a ministry, which often pro-
duce no other fruit than the ingratitude and insult of the
libertine and the intidel !
While the world is still lulled in sleep, the man of God
often anticipates the dawn, to commence Ms day of benefi-
cent labor. He reUeves the poor, visits the sick, dries up
the tears of the unfortunate, and excites those of the
penitent ; instructs the ignorant, strengthens the weak, and
confirms in vii-tue souls agxiated by the storms of passion
or temptation. After a day tilled up with such exercises,
the night returns, but not always to bring repose to him.
At the hour which leads the worldly votary to the theatre
or to parties, a messenger is despatched for the minister
of reUsrion. A Christian, touched in his last moments with
repentance, is about to expire, and, perhaps, of a contagious
298 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
disorder ; no matter, — the good shepherd will not suffer
one of his flock to expire without alleviating his anguish,
holding up before him the consolations of faith and hope,
and praying by his side to the God who died for him, ana
who, at this instant, gives him, in the sacrament of his love,
the most assured pledge of immortality. A Priest is the
minister of Jesus Christ upon earth ; his representative,
charged with the exercise of functions which have not been
confided even to angels. Such is the Priest of God exercis-
ing his ministry in the midst of the faithful.
Exercises — 1. What difference is tliero, as regards all the faithful,
between the first live sacraments .and the last two ? — 2. When did our
Lord institute the sacrament of Holy Orders ?— 3. What power does this
sacrament confer ? - 4. Through what degrees must a person pass, to
attain the dignity of priesthood V - 5 What dispositions does a state
so holy require of those who desire to embrace it?
CHAPTER VIII.
Of Matrimony.
. Marriage was instituted in the beginning of the world,
when God gave man, for his companion, the woman whom
[le had formed from his side, and blessed her with fruitful,
ness. In order to render this first institution more holy,
Jesus Christ has elevated it to the dignity of a sacrament,
attaching to it a special grace to confirm this indissoluble
union, and to sanctify those who are engaged in it. He
has rendered it the image and sign of a great mystery, the
intimate and eternal union which he has with his Church.
Marriage is, then, a source of spiritual benedictions for
those who receive it with proper dispositions.
Marriage is a sacrament which gives grace to sanctify
those who are engaged in this holy state. It is a certain
truth, that those who, being in the state of grace, and hav-
ing consulted God, marry with Christian intentions, receive,
by virtue of this sacrament, graces which sanctify them,
and enable them to discharge faithfully the obligations of
their state. Before a person decides on embracing this state,
he should be careful to pray fervently to <3ro6 for grace to
MATRIMOiry. 2^
know whether he has been called to it. Without this, he
might rashly, and contrary to God's will, contract an en-
gagement which God would not bless, and which would
expose his salvation to great danger. God never foils to
make known his will to those who invoke Him with sincer-
ity and earnestness. Persons about to engage in the mar-
ried state, should also consult their parents. Parents have
at heart the interests of their children, and know better
than they do the means by which they can be promoted.
Children should, therefore, follow their advice, rather than
a blind inclination, in an afiau' so important, and on wliich
theu' happiness for time and eternity is so dependent.
There are thi-ee principal disij^ositions for receiving the
sacrament of Marriage. The ftrst is that the conscience be
purified from every mortal sin ; because Marriage is a sacra-
raentof the living, which sujiposes the spiritual life of grace
in those who receive it. The Council of Trent exhorts those
who desii-e to enter into this holy state, to approach the
Holy Eucharist, in order to draw upon themselves the
blessing of Heaven. The second disposition is, to receive it
with the intention of doing the will of God, and of serving
Him in this state. We should propose to ourselves to please
God in all things, even in our least actions -. with much
more reason, then, in an engagement which will continue
until the death of either party. ' ' We are the children of
saints," said young Tobias to Sara, •' and we must not be
joined together lilve heathens that know not God."* He
who believes himself called to the married state, should be
careful not to enter it but with a view to sanctify himself,
and to fulfil aU its obligations. The third disposition is,
to receive it with modesty and all the other virtues suitable
to the sanctity of this sacrament, avoiding with care every-
thmg contrary to the rules of strict propriety. To receive
the nuptial benediction with levity, would be to ofi'endGod
at the very foot of liis altar, and profane a sacrament which
should be approached with much piety and religion.
Married persons have four obligations to fulfil : namely,
to live together in perfect union and harmony ; to liva
• Tobias, viii, 5.
300 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
with lidelity to each other ; to render mutual assistance in
their respective wants ; and to give their children a Chris-
tian education, accustoming them in their tender years to
pray to God, and to perform piously the other duties of
religion ; teaching them, and repeating frequently to them,
the maxims of the Gospel ; giving them good example,
and watching over their conduct, in order to remove from
them everything which might lead them to sin, and cause
them to sacrifice their eternal happiness.
A young physician, who resided in Paris, made propo-
sals for a young lady of that city, and was promised her
hand in marriage. A short period before the time appointed
for the intended ceremony, he called at her house, and
on seeing her mother, told her that he desired an interview
with the lady destined to be his future wife. On being
questioned as to its object, he frankly replied, that he had
been trained from childhood, as the family were aware, in
the practice of his reUgious duties, and that he was desir-
ous that he and the young lady should each make a general
confession and approach the Holy Communion, previous
to the intended marriage, that they might receive, with the
nuptial blessing, the graces which are attached to it. The
mother, overjoyed at this pious determination, addressed
him in the most affectionate terms, and congratulated
herself and daughter on the dispositions which the young
gentleman manifested, and on the happiness of which it
could not fail to be productive. She pressed him to the
interview with her daughter, and to the communication of
his wishes. The young gentleman did not confine himself to
this. He had the holy Sacrifice ofthe Mass offered for eight
successive days previous to the marriage ; and, on the
morning of the appointed day, nothing could be more
affecting than to see this young couple approach the holy
table ; the one, accompanied by his father and mother ;
the other, by her mother and grandmother ; when all re-
ceived the Holy Communion from the hands of the Priest
who was afterwards to bless their marriage. What an in
JUTRIMONY 301
structivG oxamjjle for young persons ! What a lesson for so
many negligent and discdifying parents ! If all marriages
were celebrated like this,' they would be followed, without
doubt, by tranquillity and happiness.
Exercises — 1- \Vhen and by whom was marriage instituted ? —
2. To what dignity has Jesus Christ elevated marriage 1 — 3. What
should persons do before ihey decide on embraoing the marriage state '!
4. How iiian\ dispositions are necessary for the worthy reception of
the sacrament of marriage, and in wliat do they consist ? — 5 rt'hat are
the obligations of married persons 7
PART SECOND.
OF PRAYER.
CHAPTER 1.
OF PRAYER IN GENERAL,
SECTION I.
Of the Necefisitii of Prayer.
Prayer is the second means by which we can obtain the
grace of God. It is an elevation of the mind and heart to
God, to render Eim our homage, and to beg of Eim all
necessaries for soul and body. It is an indispensable duty,
and cannot be omitted without sin, for Jesus Christ liimselip
expressly commands it: " Watch ye and pray. "" * "We
ought always to pray, and not to faint. ' " t Hence the i-eproach
which he made to his disciples ; " Hitherto you have not
asked anything in my name. Ask. and you shall receive."}:
He practised himself what he commanded ; he passed
whole nights in this holy exercise, or rather, his whole life
was a continual prayer. Jesus Christ had no need of prayer
for himself, but he wished to leave us an example, and
engage us thereby not to neglect so powerful a means of
sanctiiication. We requij-ed this example to stimulate us
to the discharge of this essential dut3\ Salvation is prom-
ised to those only who pray ; and such as persevere in
prayer will obtain it. Prayer is, therefore, an indispensable
duty ; and even if the ScriiJtm-e contained no positive law
requiring us to pray, the mere consciousness of our own
miseries would alone be sufficient to prove its necessity,
• Matt., zxvi, 41. ^ Luke- xviii. 1- J Jehn, xri, 24.
i
THB NKOESSITY OP FRArBR. 303
Do not the ills of soul and body, continually springing up,
admonish us incessantly to have recourse to Him wlio
alone can remedy them ? Is it not the part of the miserable
to weep and solicit assistance ? Our misery is extreme ;
the goods which we want are of infinite value. God is ready
to grant what we require ; and He not only permits, but
even commands, us to ask for them. He is not ignorant of
our wants ; He knows them better than we ourselves ;
but He requires us to lay them before Him, that we may
desire more ardently the gifts He has prepared for us, and
may, by this desire, be more capable of receiving them.
The desire of eternal goods becomes more ardent by prayer :
the gi'cater the desire is, the more abundant is the succor
we receive from God. He fills the hungry with good things ;
but He sends away empty those who imagine themselves
rich, and to be in need of nothing. * [f God bestowed his
gifts without awaiting our prayers, we would attribute
these gifts to ourselves ; but when, after having felt our
weakness and misery, we have recourse to Him, we then
recognize our dependence ; we are obliged to acknowledge
that we can do nothing without Him, and that all we re-
ceive are gifts of his pure liberality. This humble avowal of
our poverty disposes us to receive his benefits in abundance.
We should, then, apply ourselves to this holy exercise, and
not think that we fulfil this essential duty by employing
in its performance a few moments only, and passing the
rest of our time without thinking of God. St. Liguori says:
"that he who prays, shall infallibly be saved, and that he
who does not pray, will inevitably be lost." We should
have frequent recourse to prayer, and persevere a long
time in it. God wishes to be solicited, jjressed, importuned ;
He is not weary of hearing us ; the treasure of his graces
is infinite ; and we can do nothing more agreeable to Him,
than to beg, mcessantly, that He bestow them upon us.
Earthly monarchs do not permit all their subjects indiscrim-
inately to address them ; this is a favor which they grant
only to then* favorites, and at certain times. It is not thus
with God ; He permits us to speak to Him at every hour,
• Luke, i. 53.
304 DUTIES OK A CHRISTIAN.
to present our wants, and implore his assistance ; He even
coram mds us to do so with perfect freedom, and is offended
if we }<i-esent not ourselves before Him. What an honor
for M vile creature tiius to approach liis God, and to com-
municate toFim his thoughts, his desires, his nocessitiea.
with IT holy liberty, 'ind with a sweet and assured contidencel
Would it not be a contempt of his .goodness not to profit
of the favor which He grants, in promising to hear us, and
to interest himself in everything that can promote our real
lappiness ?
" Prayer," says St. Teresa, " is the gate through which
the graces of the Lord pass. If this gate be closed, what
will become of us? Alas ! " she adds, " I have had sad ex-
perience of it. i had the misfortune to give up the prac-
tice of mental prayer, and I became every day more
negligent and less devout. Had I not returned to this
holy exercise, I would have been lost."
David, although placed upon a throne, and occupied
with the aflairs of liis kingdom, was accustomed to pray to
God seven times in the day, as he himself informs us ; he
even rose in the night to pray. Inspired by the spirit of
God. he composed the Psalms, wliichare still used in the
Church, and form part of the daily office of the luergy and
religious.
Several great prmces, such as Chai-leraagne, St. Louis,
and the Emperor St. Henry, observed religiously the prac-
tice of reciting daily the office of the Chtirch ; they also
arose in the night to assist at matins.
An author who cannot be suspected of partiality to
Christian practices, and who wrote under the influence of
the philosophy oi the eighteenth :'entury, at a time when
it was yet novel, and most violent in its hatred of Chris-
tianity, makes the following reflection: — "When the an-
cient Romans sat down to table, the master of the house
took a f'up of wine, and sprmkled some drops of it on the
floor, as a homage to divine Providence. At all times.
THE EPPIOAOY OF PRAYER. 306
Christians, before and iifter meals, prayed to God, to thank
lliin for the repast of which they were going to partake,
or which they had just taken. Is it not very censurable,
and. at the same time, very ridiculous, that in Prance, for
the last fifty years, tliis act of gratitude, so natural and
so religious, is regarded by the great as a puerile cere-
mony, a low custom, which modern manners ought to
proscribe ? Our inferiors, in accustoining themselves to
ac: ungrateiuUy towards God, vei" soon act towards ourselves
in like manner."
ExKRCiscs. — 1. Explain the second means by which the grace oi
God may be obtained. — 2. By what words does our divine Lord com-
niund the exercise of prayer, and what example has he given us of it?
—.3. What renders this exercise so necessary V — 4.1s it sufi5cientto give
but a few minutes to prayer '! — 5. '^v hat says St. Liguori of the neces-
sity of prayer ? —6. Doa? \iod not become wearied of hearing our re-
peated requests ?
SECTION II.
Of the Ejficaqj of Prayer.
The efBcacy of prayer is a truth which is repeated in al-
most every page of Holy Writ ; and the promises of our
Lord, to all vrho invoke his aid, are formal. "Cry to me.
and I will h-eor thee." * •' Call upon me in the day of troub-
le : :. will deliver thee.'' T "A3k,ana it shall be given you ;
seek, and you sha'l find ; knock, and it shall be opened to
you. 't " All things whatsoever you ask when ye pray,
believe that you shall receive : and they shall come unto
you. *5 He is not satisfied vfith saying that our prayers wrill
bo bf>artl when offered with due dispositions -, he solemnly
avers it • Amen. umen. • say to you, if you ask the
Fatner anything in my name. He itnll g:vo. it you." II In
fine, to dissipate every doubt that might possibly arise, hs
makes use of a comJ)arison, capable of animating the most
desponding. '• What man is there among you, of whom if
his son shall ask bread, will h^> reach him a stone? or if he
* Jer.. xxxiii, 3. t Ps. xlix, 15. t i^latt., vii, 7
$ Mark, xi, '2A. <i John, xvi, 23.
a06 DUTIES OF A OHRISTIAM.
shall ask him a fish, will he reach him a serpent ? If you,
then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your chil
dren, how much more will your Father, who is in Heaven,
give good things to them that ask Him ?"* After promises
so formal, we must have lost our faith if we doubt of the
efficacy of prayer. If we contide in the promises of a good
man, how much more ought we conlidein the promises and
asseverations of our Lord and Master, who is truth itself I
To give diffidence entrance into our heart, would be to do
Him an injury. Whence can this diffidence come ? Is it
from our own unworthLness ? But is not the goodness of
God towards us purely gratuitous ; and is not the very
avowal of our misery a new title to gain access to that God,
whose mercy the greatest" crimes cannot exhaust, and who
invites the greatest sinners to approach Him with confi-
dence ? Is it not in the name of Jesus Chi'ist that we pray ;
and is not om- unworthiness lost in his infinite merits ? No,
the prayer of the humble sinner has never been rejected ;
it elevates itself to the throne of God, and infallibly attracts
his mercy down to him who prays.
Is there any one, says the prophet, who has invoked the
Lord, and has been despised ? Our fathers cried to the
Lord, and they were delivered ; they hoped in the Lord,
and they were not confounded. Whoever invokes the
name of the Lord, shall be saved. This full, entu-e, and
unbounded confidence in God does Him honor. It is a
homage rendered to his goodness, mercy, and fidelity.
Prayer obtains everything; God can refuse it nothing.
"Who hath called upon Him," says the Wise Man, "and
He despised him ?t "Every one that asketh," says St.
Jerome, "receiveth," Moses prayed on the mountain,
and the enemies of God were vanquished ; Judith prayed,
and her country was delivered ; the devout King Ezechias
prayed, and God revoked the decree of his death; the
publican prayed in the temple, and he was justified ; the
penitent woman prayed, and her sins were forgiven ; the
good thief prayed upon the cross, and, although guilty
of enormous crimes, yet he obtained pardon. Hence, St.
• Matu. vii, 9, 10, H. t Ecclus., ii, 12-
TUB EFFICAOr OP PRAYER. 601
John says : " And this is the confidence which we have
towards Him: that, whatsoever we shall ask according to
his will, He heareth us : and we know that He heareth us
whatsoever we ask."*
Let us not allege our weakness when we are exhorted
to practise virtue ; let us not say, that our inclination to
evil drags us along, and that we have not strength to re-
sist the violence of our passions. '• Being able to procure
by humble prayer," observes St. Liguori, " the divine aid.
which will enable us to do all things, we are inexcusable
if we yield to temptation." We can pray, and prayer will
sustain our weakness ; we can pray, and prayer will
strengthen us against our evil inclmations ; we can pray,
and prayer will moderate the violence of our passions.
" But if any of you want vdsdom, let him ask of God, who
giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not ; and it
shall be given him."t We never fail to obtain of God the
succors which we ask for as we ought ; or if we do not
obtam them, it is always through our own fault ; it is be-
cause we have not recourse to God with sufficient confidence.
St. .John Chrysostom does not hesitate to say that prayer
is, in a manner, more powerful than God himself : by this
he means, that its power is such, that it causes God to
yield, and not to put in execution the sentence wliich He
has pronounced against us. His conduct with regard to
the Israelites is a striking example of this. They had
transgressed the law of the Loid, and had setup a golden
calf to adore it. God, always cli.>ment, seemed, as it were,
to fear the prayer of iloses in their behalf. ' ' Let Me alone, ' '
said He, " that my wi-ath may 1 )e kindled against them,
and that Imay destroy them. "J Mose.s. however, continued
to pray, and God, overcome by, his importunity, did not
execute that threat which He had pronounced against his
people.
• 1 John. V. 14. IS. t James, i. 5. t Exodue. xxxii, 10.
308 DUTIES OF A OHRISTIAN.
EiERCiSKS. — 1 \VTiat is the power ol prayer, and where shall wo find
the pr.ol' thereof? — 2. Gire us some examples illustrative of the
power of prayer.
SECTION III.
Of the Conditions of Prayer.
To reap from prayer the admirable fruits derivable from
it, it must be made with tlie necessary conditions. Our
prayer, to be acceptable to God, must bo oflered in the
name, and through the merits, of our Lord Jesus Christ. He
has not promised to grant us what we ask, except in his
name alone ; and, therefore, the Church concludes all her
petitions with these words : Through Jesus Clirist our Lord.
We must, secondly, pray with attention ; that is, think of
God, and of what we ask. God attends more to the words
of the heai-t, than to those of the mouth. Prayer being an
elevation of the soul to God, we cannot bo said to pray
when we tliink of everything but of God, and of what we
say. It is true, that distractions, when involuntary, do not
render our prayers bad ; but God is offended by those to
which we willingly give occasion, or which we do not reject
as soon as we perceive th(?m. They who pray with wilful
distraction, merit the reproach which God formerly made
to the Jews : " This people honoreth me with their lips ;
but their heart is far from me."* We must, thirdly, pray
with humility, conscious of our unworthiness, weakness,
and misery ; for " God resisteth the proud, and giveth
grace to the humble."! "The Almighty," says St. Liguori,
"does not hear the supplications of the proud, who trust
in their own strength, but leaves them to their own wealc-
noss and misery, which, when they are abandoned by divine
grace, will infallibly lead them to perdition." Those who
are penetrated with a sense of their own wants, insufficiency,
and nothingness, will, hi times of temptation and affliction,
have recourse, by humble prayer, to the divine aid, without
which they can do nothing, and with which they can do
all tilings. God is ever ready to hear the prayers of the
• Matt., XV, s. t James, iv. 6.
THK CONDITIONS OF PRAYBR. 309
humble. "The prayer of him that humbleth himself, shall
pierce the clouds : and lie will not depart till the
Most High behold."* We must fourthly, pray with con-
fidence. Our Lord's promise of hearing our prayers is always
accompanied with tliis condition, that they be offered with
faith, lie ordinarily said to those who presonted themselves
to him to be cured, " According to your faith, be it don o
unto you."t Our conlidence cannot be too firm, since ii
rests on the power of God, which is infinite ; on his mere}',
which has no bounds ; and on the infinite merits of Jesus
Christ, in whos« name we jJi'ay, and by whose merits we
hope to be heard. We address ourselves, with confidence,
in our temp or;d wants, to a powerful and tried friend ; and
yet we fail to address ourselves to God in even our spiritual
wants, although He commands and invites us to have
recoui'se to Him, as to a good father, [s not such a proce-
dure injurious to his tenderness ? What is the goodness of
man, when compared with that of God ? We must, finally,
pray with perseverance. God, infinitely good and wise in all
things, sometimes defers granting what we ask ; this delay
is not a refusal, but a trial. He desires by this, to make
known the value of his gifts, to increase the ardor of our
desires, and to dispose us to receive them with more abun-
dance. We ought not to be discouraged, nor cease fi'om
praying. Our Lord himself commands it, and to make us
feel the necessity of perseverance, he presents us with two
comparisons. The first is that of a widow, who, by her im-
portunity, touched the heart of an unjust judge, and forced
him at last to do her justice. The second is that of a man
who came in the middle of the night, to borrow three loaves
from a neighbor, who, being in bed, refused to give them.
But the man was not disheartened ; he continued to knock
at the door ; he redoubled his entreaties : at length his
pel severance was recompensed ; he obtained what he desir
ed. Our Lord concludes this parable by a lively and press-
ing exhortation to pray without ceasing, and by a formal
promise to grant all that we ask with perseverance. The
moment in which we cease to pray, is perhaps, the very one
• Bcclus.. XXXV. 121. t JMati.. ix. 29.
310 DOTIES OF A OHBISHAN.
in which God had determined to hear xjs. Remember well
this important truth, by prayer we ask, but by perseverance
we obtain.
A virtuous and interesting little boy was accustomed to
offer his heart to God every morning, with great fervor,
being mindful of our Lord's loving command, " Son, give
me thy heart." This offering was, as it were, the soul of
all his actions. "Whenever I fail in this duty," he used to
say, " I feel dissipated during the day." He led a very holy
life, and died at the age of twelve years, in sentiments of
extraordinary piety. "My God," he often said, as he lay
on his death-bed, ready to expire ; " My God, I have
almost every day of my life offered Thee the sacrifice of my
heart ; I now freely offer Thee that of my life."
If we imitate this pious boy, and, like him, be faithful in
offering our heart to God every morning, we shall, like,
him, die in sentiments of true piety. — Arvisenbt.
Exercises. — 1. How many conditions should .accompany our prayers ?
— 2. Why should we pray in the name of Jesus Christ? — 3. Why
should we pray with attention ? with hunuUtii / with conjid^^ei' ' with
perseverance ? — 4. What comparisons does our Lord present ub which
ghow the necessity of persevering in prayer ?
CHAPTER I!.
OF THE lord's PRAYER.
SECTION 1.
Of what we should ask of God.
Our Blessed Lord himself has taught us the things for
wliich we are to pray, and the order in which we are to pray
for them. He has been pleased to prepare that most ex-
cellent model of petition, called the Lord' s Prayer, wliich,
in his name, we are to present to his Eternal Father.
"Jesus Christ," says St. Cyprian, "besides the salutary
admonitions and precepts which he has given us, has pre-
scribed a form of prayer for our use, that, addressing the
THB lord's PRATBR. Sll
Father in the words of the Son, we may more readily ba
heard. Let us then," continues the holj doctor, " often use
this divine prayer, which our Lord and Master has taughl
us. It is a prayer most agreeable to God, as ascending
before Him in the words of Jesus Chi'ist. Since Jesus Christ
is our Advocate with the Fathei-, let us make use of the
words of our Mediator, who says, that whatever we ask the
Father in his name will be granted ;* and how much more
willingly will He attend to our petitions when they are ad-
dressed, not only in the name of his beloved Son, but even
in his very words !' ' This divine prayer is in continual use
in the Church. With it she begins and concludes all her
offices, and it is always said in the holy Sacrifice of the
Mass. The faithful should say it every day, morning and
evening ; and it would be very advisable to do so from
time to time, during the day.
The Lord's prayer is composed of a short preface and
seven petitions ; the fii-st three of these petitions regard
God, the last four relate to 'ourselves. It contains all that
we can desire or ask of God; it is the rule by wliich we
ought to regulate our sentiments and our desires. We may
use other words when we pray, but we cannot ask of God
anything which this prayer does not contain. Every petition
which cannot be referred to it, is unworthy of a Christian,
and cannot be agreeable to God. The preface consists of
these words : Our Father, who art in Heaven. Jesus Christ
has expressed in these few words, all that is most capable
of engaging God to hear our petitions, and of inspirmg us
with sentiments of respect, confidence, and love.
" We call God our Father; Christ himself commands us
to do so. God is, indeed, our Father by creation, having
given us life and made us to his image ; and He is also our
Father by the grace of regeneration, since, in Baptism, H«
adopted us in Jesus Christ, for his children. ''Behold
what manner of rharity the Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called, and should be the sons of God.''t
"Because you are sons." says St. Paul, "God hath sent
the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Fath-
• John, xvi, 28. * 1 John. iii. 1. \
Ji.** I>imBS OF A CHRISTIAN.
er." 0 name full of charms and sweetness ! Whac love.
what gratitude, what confidence, ought it not excite in our
he;irt ! If it is true that God is our Father, can you imagine
that your prayer will be rejected, when you call upon Him
by a name in which He lakes so much delight? What will
He not grant to one who prays to Him, after having been
received by Hun into the number of his children ? Fear
only to render yourself unworthy by your disobedience, of
being called the child of God ; for nothing else can stop
the course of his graces, or the effect of your prayers.
Each one, in speaking of God, says our Father, and not
mi/ Father, because, being all children of the same Fa-
ther, and hoping for the same inheritance, we pray, not
only for ourselves, but also for all the faithful, who are our
orethren ; and moreover, that it is not in our own name
that we pray, but in the name of Jesus Christ, and in
union with the entire body of the Church, of which we are
members. We add, who art in Heaven; for, although
God fills all places by his imnWIisity, we consider Heaven
as the throne of his glory, where He manifests himself to
the blessed in all his majesty and beauty. Heaven is our
true country, the inheritance which our loving Father has
provided for us. When, therefore, we pray, we should
elevate our thoughts and desires thither, unite ourselve?
to the society of the blessed spirits, and excite in our heart
the desire and the hope of one day possessing God for ever
in his blissful region.
St. Fi'ancis of Assisium was disinherited by his father, on
account of his great liberality to the poor ; but the saint,
filled with spiritual consolation, only observed, "Now I
can, with greater confidence than ever, say : Our Father,
who art in Heaven.''' Oh, how truly great the nobihty of a
Chi'istian ! God himself is liis Father I
A young shepherd had the pious custom of praying
while he attended his flock in the interior of the country.
Being asked, if he felt not lonely, and if his time did not
' * Gal.. IV, 6
1
THB lord's prater. 313
pass heavily in a place so removed from society, he re-
plied, that his time passed quickly, and agreeably, too, by
means of the Our Father, hi which he discovered an ex-
haustless source of consoUng thoughts and pious senti-
ments. Such, he said, was the dehglit which it afFoi-ded
him, that to meditate on the entire prayer butonee, would
give liira sufficient mental occupation for a whole week.
St. Hugh, Bishop of Grenoble, having fallen sick, did
nothing during the night but repeat the Lord's prayer.
The servant who attended him. remarked that the con-
stant recital of this prayei- would increase his sickness.
''You are mistaken.'' he replied ; •' the recital of so beau-
tiful a prayer cannot do me the least harm ; on the con-
trary, I fmd, that the frequent repetition of it, refreshes
and improves me."
Exercises. —1 Which is the most excellent model of prayer, and who
is its author ?— 2. How many petitions are there in the Lord's prayer ?
— 3. Explain the preface of this prayer.
SECTION II.
First Petition. — ^^ Hallowed he thy name.^'
It is just that the glory of God should be the object of
our first desire and our first petition. As children of God,
nothing should be so dear to us as the honor and glory of
our Father. We begin, then, by praying that his name may
be hallowed, that is, honored and glorified. The name of
God is holy in itself : it cannot acquire any new degree of
holiness ; but it is frequently dishonored by the language
and conduct of men. What we ask by these words is, that
the holy name of God may be known, pi'aised, and adored,
by all creatures ; that every tongue may bless tlim ; that
the whole universe may render Him the homage which is
due to his sovereign Majesty ; that his glory may be extend-
ed to all the nations of the earth. There are infidels who
know not God ; we beg of Him that they may be brought
forth from the darkness in which they lie buried, and be
314 DOTTES OF A CHRISTIAN.
called to the adroii-able light of the Gospel. There are
heretics who know God, but do not render Ilim a pure
worship •, we beg that they may renounce their errors,
acknowledge the truth, and enter into the bosom of the
true Church, out of which there is no salvation. In fine,
there are bad Chi'istians, who do not serve God, who outrage
Him by their sins, who profane and blaspheme his holy
name ; we beg that they may be converted to Him bj
sincere penance, and may begin to glorify Him by their
edifying conduct. We pray even for the just, who ah-eady
honor the name of God by their virtues, that they may
increase in justice, and persevere in it to the end. But
what we ought chiefly to desu-e is, that we may ourselves
sanctify the name of God. consecrate our whole life to his
glory, and cause Him to be honored and glorified by others.
We give jglory to the name of God by our thoughts, by
numbling ourselves profoiuidly before his divine Majesty,
and by ever tlainking of God, and of the things of God,
with profound respect and religious veneration. We give
glory to the name of God by our words, by never speaking
of Him but with a feeling of interior adoration and of pro-
found respect. We give glory to Him by our actions, by
leading an exemplary life, calculated to conduct others to
his service and love. In repeating this petition, hallowed
be thy name, we ought to have a sincere desire of procuring
the gloiy of God, as much as in our power, and of inclining
others to honor Him, — inspiring them by oui" language and
conduct with a love of vu-tue and a relish for piety. With
out this desire, our heart would belie our lips, and oiu*
words bear witness against us, since we do not really wish
that for which we pretend to petition. But what shall we
say of those who, though they daily beg that God's name
may be glorified, occasion others to offend his divine Maj-
esty by their evil counsel and bad example ?
A dutiful son holds his father's name in benediction :
his greatest pleasure is to hear him praised ; his greatest
affliction, to see him despised. Such are the sentLinonts
which :\ irood Christian entertains for God. He is animated
THE lokd's prayer. 315
with zeal for the glory of so good a Father ; he is afflicted
at beholding the indifference of the lukewai^m among
Christians ; and is hon^ified at hearing the blasphemies of
the wicked.
ExLECisKS — T.What is the object of the first petition of tho Lord's
prayer ? — J- In saying hallowed he thu name, what grace do we beg for
infidols V for heretics '? for tho just ? — 3. How do wo glorify tho name
of God ? — 4. What desire should accompany this petition ?
SECTION III.
Second Petition. — " Tliy kingdom come.''
By these words, thy kingdom come, we beg that God may
possess a sovereign power over all his creatures. This
sovereign power belongs necessarily and essentially to
Him : we cannot withdraw ourselves from his empii-e. But
there is anothei- kingdom, a kingdom of grace, with which
we must co-operate, and which depends on our own consent ;
a kingdom entirely spiritual, in wliich the soul, anticipated
and assisted by grace, obeys freely and willingly all the
inspirations of God, conforming itself in all things and
without reserve, to his good pleasure, executing with fi-
delity all his commands, and having no other rule of con-
duct than his law and ordinances ; a kingdom, in fine,
wherein the heart gives itself to God, in order that he pos-
sess it entirely, govern it according to his good pleasure,
and disengage it from every terrestrial aifection, and from
every human attachment. Such is the kingdom which we
desire that God should establish in us at present. There is
another kingdom, that of his glory, in which He has pre-
pared for his elect an immortal crown, where He imparts
himself to them, that they may possess Him for ever, be-
stows upon them all his riches and treasures, fills them
with the abundance of his house, inebriates them with the
torrent of its delights, and in which they shall reign with
Him for ever and ever. Such is the kingdom which we desire
should come. What we ask, therefore, by this petition is,
that God may reign in our- heart by his grace in this world,
\ijS DrTTIES 01' A OHKLSTIAX.
and that we may reign with Him in the kingdom of his
glory m the next. Li repeatmg this petition, we ought to
desire sincerely, that the kingdom of sin and of the pas
slons may be destroyed in us ; that our mind, heart, and
body, be entirely submissive to God ; and that He may be
their sole Master and only Sovereign. If we are the slaves
of bad habits, and subject to vice, we must weep over our
unhappy servitude, desire sincerely to break our chains, and
enter into the liberty of the children of God ; we must after-
wards elevate our thoughts and desires above the earth,
which is the place of our exile ; we must sigh aftoi' our true
country, where, possessed of inexpressible delights, we shall
reign with our Lord Jesus Chi-ist for all eternity. This should
be the object of our desires and hopes, the panacea' of our
pains, labors and afflictions. The life of man, though short,
is lilled with miseries. How cnn we be attached to so miser-
able a life, knowing that we are destined for one which is
eternal ? How can we apprehend the separation from this
mortal and corruptible body, which prevents us from seeing
God, and enjoying the company of the blessed spirits ?
What can be more advantageous to us than to leave this
prison, to quit this visible world, in which we are exposed
to so many dangers, beset with so many snares, and in
which, at every moment, we run the risk of perishing ? A
good Chiistian has incessantly before his eyes the recom-
pense he expects ; he regards himself upon earth as a
traveller ; he is already, by the liveliness o f his faith and
hope, a citizen of Heaven. Seated beside the river of Babylon
he weeps bitterly at the remembrance of his true country,
his heavenly Jerusalem : he frequently laisos his eyes
towards the holy mountain, the dwelling of peace, where
his inheritance awaits him. where Jesus Christ is to cro^vn
him, and render him eternally happy.
" The loss of my goods," said a martyr for the faith, " is
a trifling matter. No man cnn deprive me of Heaven, which
is the true inheritance of the children of God, who, in a few
THE lord's PRAYKR.
317
moments, will put rae in possessioo of its inconceivable
and never-ending happiness."
Exercises. — 1. AVhat do we ask of God by the words, thy kingdom
come f — 2. What ought to be our desire in repeating this petition ?
SECTION IV.
Thied Petition. — " TJuj will be done on earth as itvi
in Heape.n.'''
To obtain from our heavenly Father the inheritance
which He reserves for us, and the kingdom for which He
has destined us, we must do his will. Our Lord himself
admonishes us of this in the Gospel : " Not all who say,
Lord ! Lord ! shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven ; but
they who do the will of my Father. '" The will of God is,
that we do good and avoid evil ; and it is this will which
the prophet desnes we should do. when he says : '• Teach
me to do thy will : make me walk in the way of thy coni-
mandments; give to my heart the relish of thy holy ordi-
nances.'' This divine will is manifested to us in the Com-
mandments of God and of his Church, and in the admoni-
tions of superiors. In saying, Thy loill be done on earth as
it is in Heaven, we beg of God grace to observe his law, to
obey the Chm-ch, and all those who have been charged to
govern us ; we desire that our obedience may be as per-
fect as that of the angels and saints in Heaven. There all
obey God with promptitude, punctuality, and ardor. Is it
thus we obey? Are we faithful in obeying God's com-
mandments ? Are we submissive to those who hold his
placeinour regard? "This prayer is sincerely made, only
when the heart accords with the tongue ; it would be tell-
in'^ a lie to God, to ask Him with the lips for that which
the heart does not desire.
The will of God is the cause of all the events of this life,
except sin ; and aU that happens in the world is regulated
by it. We may resist the grace of God as we please ; but to
prayer, and to prayer alone, is it given, to affect the opera-
tion of his sovereign wUl. Our duty in regard to it is, to adore
318 DUTIES OP A CHRISTIAN,
it, to accept with resignation the evils which God pleases
to send us, and to receive, as from the hands of a father,
the chastisements with which He visits us. God permits
these evils to happen to us, because He has designs of
mercy on us. If He send us afHictions, it is because He
desires to save us ; He vidshes that they serve to expiate our
sins. It is, therefore, through mercy, rather than justice,
that God punishes us in this life : this makes the Apostle
say, that the Lord chastises whom He loves, and strikes
whom He receives into the number of liis children ; and
thus He acts as a loving father ; for where is the child that
is not corrected by his parents ?
By these words, thy will be done, we also beg grace to
support with entire submission, all the pains which it
pleases God to send us, and that, whatever happens, we
may be patient and resigned, and perfectly conformed in
heart and mind to the designs of his holy providence. We
cannot make this petition as we ought, without renounc-
mg our own will, or without, at least, endeavoring to re-
nounce it. Nothing is more advantageous to us than to
subject ourselves to the wiU of God. Man is lost only be-
cause he prefei's his own will to that of God : he can be
saved only by prefening the divme vsnll to his own. " Take
away self-will," says St. Bernard, "and there mil be no
hell." Our Lord himself has given us the example of this
perfect conformity to the will of God : " I came down from
Heaven," said he, " not to do my own will, but the will
of Him that sent me."* And again: ''My meat is to do the
wiU of Him that sent me."t The whole life of our Lord
was, in fact, but the exact accompUshment of the orders
of his heavenly Father. If he was born in a stable, passed
his youth in humiUating obscurity, and his last years in
the functions of a painful ministry, it was because his
Father had sent him, and that he regulated all his actions
by the orders he had received from Him. If, m fine, he
died by the most ignominious of punishments, it was that
the wUl of his Fathei", not his own, might be accomplished.
• John, vi, 38. t John, iv, 34.
THK lord's prater. 319
"Obey the emperors," was the usual mandate of the
judges to the martyrs of. Christ; "Obey their edicts, or
you shall be delivered to the lions, to the flames," and so
forth. "We also have a law," was the reply of these
generous combatants, " and this law is the will of God. It
forbids us to adore idols, and requires that we remain firm
in our faith, and faithful to our duty. You promise us
the riches of this world, but these we despise : the only
riches which we esteem or desire are the imperishable
riches of Heaven."
Exercises. — 1. What must we do to merit the inheritance promised
us ? — 2. What graces do we beg of God by saying the third petition ?—
3- How are we to act in order to accomplish this divine will in the events
of this life '? — 4. What other grace do we beg by the words thy xoill be
done 1 5. What example has .Jesus Christ given us of conformity to
the will of God ?
SECTION V.
Fourth Petition. — " Give us this day onr daily bread.''''
After the first three petitions, which regard the glory of
God, we pray for daily food for the body and soul. God is
the Source of every good. It is He who provides for all
our wants, both in the order of nature and that of grace.
We are all in his sight as beggai's, who possess nothing,
but what we have received from his beneficent and liberal
hand.
The rich themselves are obliged to beg each day their
^read, to acknowledge that they have received from th6
nandof God, whatever they possess ; that they hold it from
lus liberality ; and that they would lose it in a thousand
ways, if He did not mercifully preserve it for them.
Remarli, that we do not ask of God superfluous riches,
nor wherewith to satisfy our sensuality and pride, but only
our daily bread, that is, what is absolutely necessary for
our subsistence, according to our state ; and we ask it
only for the present day, for om* Lord forbids us to be
solicitous about to-morrow, which we may not live to see ;
Ee wishes that we rely on his providence, and that we
320 DUTIES OK A CHRISTIAN.
daily have recourse to ITim. well assured that we have a
good Father, always equally ready to grant to his children
whatever is necessary for them. " Be not therefore soUcit-
0U3 for to-morrow, for the morrow will be solicitous for
itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof."* Thia
confidence in Providence ought not, however, to be idle
or presumptuous. God does not wish to favor slofefa ; but
He orders us to do all that depends on us, and, when we
have done so, to confide entirely in Him, and to reckon
upon the inexhaustible treasures of his providence. The
manna was given day by day to the IsraeUtes in the desert,
and during forty years it was never even once withheld.
Thus far as regards the wants of the body.
We have also a soul, which needs spiritual nourishment ;
and it is this bread of the soul for which we principally ask
in this petition. It consists in the word of God, his grace,
and the Holy Eucharist.
The word of God nom-ishes the soul. It preserves the
just, and makes them advance in justice ; it heals sinners,
and leads them back to the life of grace which they had
lost ; it is the ordinary means that God employs for im-
parting and augmenting the knowledge and love of the
truths of salvation. We should never neglect to hear the
word of God, and when we do hear it, we should do so
with respect, and a sincere desu-e of profiting by it.
Grace is as necessary for the life of the soul, as material
bread k to preserve the lite of the body. Grace sustains
and strengthens the soul, and enables it to act. We stand
continuaUj'^ in need of its assistance ; and God wiUs that to
obtain k, we pray for it daily and with great earnestness.
In fine, the Holy Eucharist is the nourishment of the
soul. Jesus Chi'ist liimself assures us of it : '• Amen, amen,
I say unto you, except j'^ou eat the flesh of the Son of Man,
and drink liis blood, you shall not have life in you ;" "I
am the living bi'ead which came down from Heaven : if
any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever." t The
primitive Chi-istians received this heavenly bread everyday.
It would be desii'able that the Chi'istians of our times fol-
• Matt., Ti, 34. t John, vi-
THE lord's prayer. 821
lowed their example, for our soul becomes languid, and
must finally die. if deprived of this heavenly aliment ; but
as the heart must be pure to receive it worthily, we beg of
God each day, when we o.Tcr this petition, to give us that
purity of heart, necessary for receiving with fruit this most
precious treasure.
King Solomon prayed to God that^ ile would giVe Iiim
neither poverty nor riches ; not poverty, lo.st he might yield
to temptation, and offend Him ; nor riches, lest he should
be puffed up with pride, and imagine he wanted not God's
assistance. He begged only what was necessary for the
preservation of life, and that God would teach liim, at the
same time, from whose hand he received it, that thus he
might be constantly incited to give glory to God, as his
Sovei'eign Lord and Almighty Benefactor,
Exercises. — 1 Explain the fourth petition of the Lord's prayer. —
2, Why are we to ask only our dailij bread ? —3 Does our soul need
nourishment, and in what does it consist? — 4 How does the word of
God nourish the soul? — 5. Is grace necessary to preservo the life of
the soul ? — 5. By what words does Jesus Christ assure us that he is
the food of our soul ?
SECTION VI.
Fifth Petition. — *' And forgive 2is our trespasses, as loe
forgive those that tresjjass aijuiiist us.''
A. God so good, a Father so tender, ought to find in his
children a perfect docility to his holy Inw, a constant and
inviolate fidelity to all that He requires. Such should be
the conduct of men with regard to God ; yet they offend
Him every day ; the greater part abandon Him, violate
his commandments in the most essential points, and out-
rage Hun by the greatest crimes. The just themsalves
frequently fall mto faults, which, as it were, sadden the
Holy Ghost. They do not, it is true, commit grievous sins
which kill the soul, and separate it from God ; but they
daUy fall into venial faults which excite his displeasure.
" K we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
322 DUTIES OF A CHRISTL4>r.
the truth is not in us. ' ' * These uie the words of the Apostle
St. John. Our Blessed Lord, well aware of the weakness of
human nature, imposes it as a duty on us to pray daily
for the pardon of our ofiences ; nor would he have required
us to do so, were he not desirous of granting our petition.
But it is necessary that he who makes this petition, should
acknowledge and regret his sins. Without contrition no ein
whatever, either mortal or venial, can be forgiven ; and
God pardons only those who, with a sincere regret for hav-
mg oflfended Him, have a firm resolution of sinning no more.
We must not, however, dispense om-selves from reciting this
prayer, under pretext of not having this disposition. It is
our duty to pray for it. In saying to God, forgive us our
trespasses, we beg the grace of true repentance, to obtain
thereby the pardon of our sins. Having this disposition,
one is sure to be heard favorably, and of being soon
perfectly reconciled to God.
But would it be just to expect that God would forgive us
our offences, if we refuse to pardon those who have offend-
ed us ? Would it be reasonable to desire that God should
treat us indulgently, and forget the injuries we have done
Him, if we are desirous of avenging those which have
been done to us ? We say daily to God, forgive us our tres-
passes, 05 we forgive those that trespass against us. The
pardon which we grant to others is the measure, then, of
that which we ask of God for ourselves. If we pardon our
neighbor, God will pardon us ; if we refuse to pardon him,
we have no pardon to expect. To make this petition, and.
at the same time, to nourish in our heart resentment against
those who have offended us, we would say to God : ' ' pardon
me not, because 1 will not pardon those who have injured
me ; revenge thyself upon me, for I desu-e to be revenged
of them.'" Thus would we pass sentence of condemnation
on om-selves, by praying that God should treat us as we
treat our neighbor.
' 1 John, i, 8.
THE lord's prayer. 323
A certain nobleman, who had refused to pardon his ene
my, was induced by St. John the Almoner to assist at his
Mass in a private oratory. It being then the custom for all
the assistants to I'ecite the Lord's prayer aloud at Mass,
the saint made a sign to his attendant to stop whe:i he
came to the words, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
those that tresjjass against its, so that only the nobleman's
voice was heard. The holy Bishop soon afterwards, with
great earnestness, thus addressed the nobleman : " My
Loi'd I what have you said ? You have just pronounced
your own sentence 1 You have prayed that God would not
forgive you, as you are resolved not to forgive your ene-
my 1" The nobleman, affected by these words, prostrated
himself before the altai*, and declared that he forgave him.
The reconciliation was speedily and permanently efifected.
ExEECiSES- — 1. Is it obligatory for us to pray daily for the pardon of
our offences ?— 2. AVhyisthis requestincludetlin the Lord's prayer?—
3. According to what measure are we to obtain pardon for our of-
fences ?
SECTION VII.
Sixth Petition. — " A7id lead us not into temvtationy
That God should mercifully pardon our past sins is not
enough ; we require grace to preserve us from sin in future.
We are every moment in danger of offending God, as we
are continually beset with temptations, and therefore, we
must have recourse to the divine protection, saying to God
with fervor, lead us not into temptation. By this petition
we beg that God, compassionately regarding our weakness,
would shield us from temptations, or enable us to triumph
over them. The world, the devil, and our own passions,
conspire to destroy us. The world tempts us by its bad
example, its language, and its maxims. The devil tempts
us, by making impressions on our senses and imagination,
wliich tend to suggest evil thoughts and desires. He leaves
nothing undone to cause us to yield to his suggestions ;
and St. Peter says that he, " as a roaring lion, goeth about,
324 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAJ*.
seeldng whom he may devour."" In fine, concupiscence,
that is, the strong inclination to evil, with which we;i:e
born, continually tempts us ; it pursues us wherever we
go ; it is a domestic enemy, which furnishes the devil and
the world with arms to attack us with more advantage.
To be tempted is laot a sin ; it is an occasion of merit when
resisted ; but it is a sin to consent to the temptation, if.
through fear of offending God, we repress the first emo-
tions, which are excited in us, and if we constantly refuse
to consent to the evil, there is no sin. Our resistance is
even an act of virtue, which God will one day recompense ;
but if, after having perceived the evil, we entertain it, or
dwell upon it with complacency, then it becomes sinful,
and renders us culpable. Although temptation is not in
itself a sin, yet it is always exceedingly dangerous. We do
not, however, pray God to exempt us entirely from it ; for
temptation is inevitable in this life, which, as the saintly
man Job says, is a time of warfore. The greatest saints have
suffered its assaults. Even our Lord permitted himself to
be tempted, that he might teach us the manner of resist-
ing temptations, and obtain for us grace to overcome
them.
What we ask, is, that we may not be abandoned in our
temptations ; for our fi-ailty is such, that the least of them
would be sufficient to overpower us, if we were not assisted
by the grace of the Ahnighty. To Him, then, we have re-
course. We make before Him the humble avowal of our
weakness ; we beg of Him to turn away from us those vio-
lent temptations to which we would yield -, and that in all
those wliich He may be pleased to send us as a trial oi
our fideUty, He may deign to support us, and give us the
strength necessary to obtain the victory. With the help
and protection of God we have nothing to fear 5 He is suf-
ficiently powerful to enable us to overcome all our temp-
tations, and even to turn them to our advantage. He will
grant his assistance, provided we watch over ourselves, do
not rashly expose ourselves to danger, and beg his help in
temptations which are unavoidn.ble. We shall not be left
• I Peier. v, 8.
THE lord's prater. 325
alone in the combat. God himself will fight for us. " God
is faithful," says St. Paul, " who will not suffer you to bo
tempted above what ye are able ; but will even make with
temptation an issue/' (that is. a yrAy to escape), " that ye
may be able to bear."* God's word cannot fail : He has
promised to deliver those who hope in Him, and to protect
those who invoke Him. They shall be attacked, but nothing
can injure them, so long as God is their refuge : He will
give them victory over their enemies ; and temptation, so
far from injuring them, shall perfect them and confii-m
their virtue, in order that they may persevere to the end.
" The wound in thy side, Lord, is very great," said St.
Philip Neri ; " but if Thou restrain me not, I shall, by my
infidelities, render it still greater" "Lord," said another
saint, " abandon me not to myself, or I shall assuredly
perish." "Where wast Thou, O Lord ?" said St. Cathe-
rine of Sienna, after having suffered the assaults of a violent
temptation, — " Where wast Thou, Lord ?" " I was in the
depth of thy heart, sustaining thee," He repHed j " and it
was I who gave thee so great a horror of the evil sugges-
tions of thy enemy." "Where art Thou. O Lord." ex-
claimed St. Anthony, "and why hast Thou abandoned me?"
A voice replied : "I have been ever at thy side ; I wished
to be a spectator of thy coui-age. Because tuou hast resist-
ed, my help shall never fiiil thee."
Exercises. — 1. V/hat do vre ask of God by the sixth petition? —
2. Name the enemies that conspire to destroy us. and tell us the means
they employ to succeed. — 3. Of what do wo stand in need, to resist
these assaults ?
SECTION VIII..
Seventh Petition. — "But deliver us from eviV
We conclude this prayer by begging God to deliver us
from evil ; that is, from the miseries of this Ufe, from the
enemies of our soul, and from eternal damnation. To how
• 1 Cor., X. 13.
526 DUTIES OP A GHKISTIAN.
many evils are we not subject in this life I How many ara
the affictions that embitter it 1 Sickness and pain afflict
oixr body ; trouble, inquietude, and chagrin, attack our
soul. It is with much reason that the Church calls this earth,
a valley of tears. We do not ask to be set free from all our
miseries, this privilege not being consistent with our pres-
ent state ; what we ask is, to be delivered from those
which would be occasions of sin, and injurious to our sal -
vation. There is no true evil but that which puts an ob-
stacle to our sanctification. If infirmities, poverty, calami-
ties, are called evUs. thej'^ can be so named only because they
trouble the soul, expose it to temptation, repinings, and
despair ; and because we have not sufficient virtue to
support those afflictions without sia. The evils which we
Buffer patiently, so far from being prejudicial, serve to pu-
rify us, and contribute to our justification ; they are rather
goods than evils ; and however painful they may be, they
are, , in the order of Providence, the punishment of sin,
and a means of arriving at eternal happiness. " Through
many tribulations," says the Apostle, '' we must enter into
the kingdom of God."* We are permitted to desire and to
ask deliverance from these evils, provided we make this
prayer with entire resignation to the will of God. and that
we are disposed to suffer with submission, if He judge it
useful or necessary to our salvation. In praying thus, and
in persevering therein, we will find the true remedy for
all our evils. God will mercifully hear us, and will either
deliver us from those evils, or, what is much better, will
enable ua to bear them. We beg to be delivered from the
enemies of oui- salvation, and particularly from the devil,
our chief and most cruel enemy. This spirit of darkness,
not content with having seduced our first parents in para-
dise, and having drawn upon their posterity a deluge of
evils, ceases not to make war upon us, and lay snares for
our destruction ; but God restrains his fury, and prescribes
him bounds beyond which he cannot pass. In fine, we un-
plore God to deliver us from eternal damnation, an evil
which is both irreparable and eternal. In this abyss of evils,
* Acts, ziT. 21.
327
In this fatal etprnity. it will be useless to pray for deliver-
ance ; if once condemned, we must for ever bear the weight
of the divine vengeance. In this eternity, there is no re-
demption to be hoped for, no happiness to be expected ;
but an a,ssemblage of all evils is to be suffered, and suffered
without relaxation or end. With what ardor, with what
perseverance, ought we daily and hourly supplicate our
heavenly Father to be delivered from these frightful and
ii'remediable evils I
St. Basil the Great, Archbishop of Csesarea, rather than
commit sin, constantly resisted the unjust order of the
Emperor Valens, an Arian, and a persecutor of the Catho-
lics. Valens sent the prefect, Modestus, to Cfesarea, with
orders to prevail upon Basil, by threats or promises, to
communicate with the Arians. The saint, being sum-
moned by the prefect, came before him with a cheerful
and undaunted countenance. Modestus, assuming a haugh-
ty air, s.aid to the Archbishop : " What dost thou mean by
opposmg so great an emperor, whom all obey ? Art thou
under no apprehension of feeling the effects of the power
with which we are armed ?" "To what." replied the saint,
"does this power extend?" Modestus answered : " To con-
fiscation of goods, banishment, tortm-es, and death." "None
of these things," said the holy man, "give me the least
uneasiness. He that has nothing to lose, is secure against
confiscation. I am master of nothing but a few books and
the rags I wear, for neither of which, I presume, you
have any great desire. As to banishment, I know of no
such thing in your power to inflict upon me, as I account
not the country I now inhabit my o^vn. Heaven alone is
my true country. Little do I fear your torments ; my ema-
ciated body cannot hold out long under them. Much less
do I dread death, which I regard as a fovor, for it will bring
me the sooner to my Creator, for whom alone I live. I am
ready to suffer everything rather than offend my God."
The prefect, admiring the saint's intrepidity, withdrew,
and going to the emperor, he said: " We are overcome :
328 nnrtEs of a christian.
Basil is above oar tiireats. tie tears only oue tliiug, and
that is sin.''
Exercises- — 1. From what evils do ■^e beg to be delivered by th«
last petition of the Lord's prajer ? — 2. Are infirmities, poverty, and
so forth, real evils, and v.hat may they become if borne patiently ? —
3. ^Vtlat is the sovereign evil from which we request to be delivered ?
CHAPTER III.
The AxGELiCAi. -Salutatiox. — ^^ Hail. Mary, full of' grace,
the Lord is with thee , blessed art thou amongst icomen, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother
of God, }}ray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Anien.^'
OF DEVOTION TO THE MOST BLESSED VIRGIN.
The Blessed Virgin is, after God, the most worthy object
of our homage. She was chosen, from all eternity, to be
the living temple of the Eternal Wisdom, and the glorious
instrtmient of man's salvation. By her august quality of
Mother of God, she is elevated above all the angels and
saints, of whom she is the Queen. The Church, therefore,
renders her a homage which she does not cffep to any other
saint. Favored, from her Immaculate Conception, with gifts
the most excellent anddivme, INIary was a perfect model of
all virtues, and the most holy of all creatures ; and was, by
a special privilege, exempted from every sin. Filled with
benignity, she has for us the tenderness of a mother ; we
became her children when Jesus Christ gave her as a mother
to St. John. and. in liis person, to all Christians. She is,
then, our Mother. What name more tender, more touch-
ing, more proper to hispire us with sentiments of boimd-
less confidence in her, and to make us hope for necessary
assistance from her ! She is sensible of our miseries ; her
heart is feelingly alive to our wants, when we expose them
to her with confidence. Never has any one, as St. Bernard
assures us, invoked her aid, without feeling the effects of
her Drotection. She is, particularly interested for the salva-
THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION. S29
lion of youth. She kuows their weakness and the dan-
gers to which they are exposed ; she sees the fuiy with
which the devil assails them, the snares which he lays for
them, and the efforts which he makes to rob them of their
innocence. She protects them in a particular manner,
whenever they have recourse to her. A thousand examjjles
might be given of persons preserved, thi'ough her inter-
cession, from the perils of tills dangerous period of our
existence. To mention but one : St. Francis of Sales was,
in his youth, dehvered, by the assistance of this Queen of
Virgins, from a dangerous temptation, with which he had
been long tormented.
How powerful the intercession of the Blessed Virgin is,
will easily be conceived, if we consider that she has before
God all the privileges of a dear Mother; her power is then
unbounded, because the love of Jesus Christ for liis blessed
Mother is inlinite. Her Son, who is almighty, can refuse
nothing to the best and most tender of mothers ; he shares,
if we may so speak, his authority with her ; no media-
tion or prayer can be so powerful as that of this favored
being ; he has estabhshed her thearbitress of his treasures,
and the dispensatrix of his graces ; and he wishes that we
have recourse to her, that we may obtain them from him.
We should, then, have recourse to the Blessed Virgin, with
the confidence of a child casting itself into the arms of its
mother. Let us have for her a tender devotion, and we
shall always experience that no one unplores her assistance
in vain ; and let us invoke her m all our temptations and
dangers. When darkness clouds the mmd, or passion
agi-tates the heart, — in perplexity, in ti'ouble, — let us think
on her ; let her name be on our lijDs, but still oftener in
our mmd, and she will console us in our afHictions, she
v\ill dissipate our doubts, calm our agitations, and sustain
us in our weakness. If we are just, she will confirm us
in virtue, and cause us to persevei'e and increase in jus-
tice, but if, unhappily, we are in the state of sin, let us,
without d elay, have recourse to this Mother of Mercy, this
"Refuge of Sinners," and she will reconcile us with her
divine Son. K we implore her powerful, intercession to
330 DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
obtain the grace of a sincere conversion, she will ask for
us those efficacious graces, by which we shall be released
from the slavery of Satan, and restored to the happy
liberty of the children of God. In whatever state of life
we may be placed, let us contemplate the vu-tues which
were conspicuous in her, particularly her ardent charity,
profund humility, and inviolable purity : and endeavor to
practise them after her example. In living thus, we shall
be of the number of her true children, and she will be our
Mother ; and as long as we are vmder her protection, we
shall be secure from every danger.
The most excellent prayer that we can address to the
Blessed Virgin, is the " Hail Mary," which the Church so
frequently uses, and often joins ^A-ith the Lord's prayer.
This prayer, so august in its simplicity, recalls to us the
memory of the Incarnation. It contains, in a few words, the
most perfect eulogy of the Blessed Virgin : it is calculated
to excite our liveliest confidence, by reminding us of her
influence, with God, and of the means she possesses for pro-
moting our welfare and happiness. ITiis prayer is called the
Angelical Salutation, because it commences with the words
in which the Angel Gabriel addressed the Blessed Virgin,
when he announced to her the mystery of the Incarnation.
"HaU,"' Mary, " full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed
art thou amongst women." These last words were repeated
soon after by St. Elizabeth, in the visit which she received
from the Mother of God, to which she added the remaining
words of the first part of this prayer ; the Church has
added the "Holy Mary," or second part. In reciting tliis
prayer, we ought to have the intention of thanking God
for the mystery of the Incarnation, of honoring t' e Blessed
Virgin, who has had so great a part in tliis mystery, and
of testifymg our confidence in her powerful intercession.
With the same intention let us often devoutly recite the
following: — -'Hail, Holy Virgin! tliou hast borne in thy
chaste womb the Author of grace, and hast received of his
plenitude a superabundance of grace, which has rendered
thee the most perfect of all creatures. The Lord is with
thee by a presence the most intimate ; of thy substance
THB ANGELICAL SAJ.CTATION. 33]
has his most pure body been formed. Thou hast been re-
plenished with divine benedictions ; Heaven and earth
have united to blersn thee. The fruit of thy womb is the
source of all those blessings which are diffused throughout
the world. Holy Mary, Mother of God, thou knowest our
miseries, thou art sensible of our wants, pray for us noio ;
obtain for us the ga-ace of repentance, and those virtues
of which thou hast given so bright an example, particular-
ly, humility and purity. Pray for us also at the hour of our
death. Remember, O Mother of God, though we are sin
ners, we are thy children ; redouble, then, thy maternal
tenderness and solicitude for us at that awful moment
when time ends and eternity begins ; sustain us in that
last combat ; fortify us against the terrors of death ; let us
expire while pronouncing the sweet names of Jesus and
Mary ; and presenting us thyself at the tribunal of thy
divine Son, procm-e for us a favorable sentence. Amen."
A soldier recited every day seven Paters and Aves in hon-
or of the seven joys and seven sorrows of the Mother of
God. He became so attached to this pious practice, that he
very rarely omitted it. If, after going to bed, he remembered
he had not performed this devotion, he arose, and, placing
himself on his kness, paid this tribute of respect to his good
Mother. Being once placed in one of the foremost lines,
fronting the enemy, while the army, drawn up in battle
array, awaited the signal of attack, he remembered that he
had not, on that day, said his accustomed prayei-s to the
Blessed Virgin. He blessed himself, and commenced to
recite them. Some of his comrades perceiving him make
the sign of the cross, and seeing him at his prayers, began
to make sport of him, calling him a poltroon and a coward.
Others said he was a silly devotee. The soldier, taking no
noticeof their railleries, continued his prayers, which he
had no sooner ended than the battle commenced. His com-
rades fell everywhere around him, some killed, others se-
verely wounded ; and of the whole company to which he
belonged, this client of Mary was the only one who escaped
unhurt. When the war was over, he received his discharge^
3S2 OtTTIBS OF A OHRISTIAir.
returned home, and ever after attributed his preserration,
on that memorable day, to the Blessed Virgin's interces-
sion. He never ceased to thank her for her protection, and
to rejoice that he had retained the pious sentiments, with
wliich, m his childhood, his parents had inspired him. —
Mois DE Marie.
The famous victory of Lepanto will be an eternal monu-
ment of the power of the Mother of God, and of her title
to the appellation of "Help of Christians," since it is to
her that Christendom is indebted for the miraculous victory
which the Christians gained over the Turks in the year 1571.
Selim, the son of Soliman, emperor of the Turks, having
rendered himself master of the Island of Cyprus, came with
a powerful army to attack the Venetians, promising him-
self nothing less than the empire of the whole Christian
world. The holy Pope, St. Pius V,' Philip H, of Spam, and
the Venetians, united to arrest the career of the common
enemy. Although their forces were far inferior in numbers
to those of the Turks, yet relying upon the protection of
the Mother of God, the Christians did not doubt of success
m this glorious enterprise. Prayers for their success were
offered throughout Christendom. The faithful repaired m
great numbers to the church of Our Lady of Loretto, to im-
plore the assistance of Heaven, through the intercession of
the Blessed Virgin ; and Don John of Austria, gener.il of
the army, made a vow to go in person to visit this sanctuary.
The Christians obtained what they asked ; for the two fleets
having come to an engagement on the 7 th of October, the
enemy lost in the battle, which lasted from morning untU
night, thirty thousand men, and above two hundred ships
and galleys, besides ninety that were stranded. One hun-
dred and sixteen pieces of great cannon, with two hundred
and fifty -six smaller, and live thousand prisoners, fell into
the hands of the Christians. Don John of Austria, as soon
as the affairs with which he was charged permitted, went
to Loretto, regardless of the rigor of the season, to fulfil
his vow.
Pope St. Pius V, fully convinced that this victory was to
be ascribed to the intercession of the Mother of God^ in-
HAPPINESS or SEllVmO GOD. 333
serted in her litany the words, " Help of Christians, pray
for us," and instituted the Festival of the Rosary, as per-
petual memorials of this great benefit. Gregory XIII after-
wards transferred this festival to the first Sunday of October,
which is therefore called " Rosary Sunday." Hist. Eccl.
EsERCiSKS — 1. Who is, after God, the most worthy object of our
homage, and why so ? — 2- Is the intercession of the Most Blessed
Viisin very powerfal before God, and for what reasons ? — 3- How
should we have recourse to the Blessed Virgin ? — 4. What is the most
excellent form of prayer that wo caa address to the Blessed Virgin ? —
5. Of what words is the Anijelical Salutation composed ?
CHAPTER IV.
CI-" THE HAPPINESS OF LEADING A CHRISTIAN LIFE.
It is but too ordinary to form an erroneous idea of a
Christian life, and to regard it as melancholy, painful, and
disagreeable. There can be no greater mistake, no greater
injustice, than this wide-spread prejudice against virtue
and piety. Young persons should guard particularly against
this dangerous error, or undeceive tliemselves if they are
already engaged in it. They should be convinced that haj)-
piness is the portion of vu-tue ; and if they doubt it, let
them listen to the Holy Ghost, who assures us in several
parts of the Scriptures that justice, or the observance of
God's law, is always accompanied with peace of soul, that
delicious feeling which a good conscience produces : and,
consequently, that virtue only, renders man truly happy.
Wherever fidelity to the law of God is spoken of, peace,
which is, in a manner, inseparable from justice, is also men-
tioned. The Scripture, in the most emphatic tei'ins, prom-
ises him who is faithful to the law of the Lord, that his
dwelling shall be in peace. Remark, it says not that he
shall find peace, that he shall enjoy peace, but that his
dwelling shall be in peace ; he shall establish his abode in
peace ; he shall be, as it were, surrounded with its bless-
ings, and this peace — profound and abundant^ — it compares
to a river whose salutary waters shall never be dried tu?-
334 DUTIES OF A OHRISTUJJ.
Hence, that pure and lively joy, that intimate, durable,
and solid pleasure wliich the just experience. Happy, then,
the man who loves, with all liis affection, the law of tha
Lord. He shall be like a tree planted by the running waters
bearing fruit and flowers in every season. This is the lan-
guage of the royal prophet ; and that of Jesus Chi'ist in the
Gospel is no less formal and positive. He declares, in the
clearest and most distinct terms, that his yoke is sweet
and his bui-den light ; and that those who bear it, shall find
peace of soul.
" Innocence," says the eloquent Massillon, "is the source
of true pleasure. Be not deceived by outward appear-
ances. The external deUghts of the worldling are embit-
tered by the most painful anguish of mind ; and the ex-
ternal mourning of the just is sweetened by the most
enlivening interior consolations. The ark of Israel in tha
desert was covered with skins, and exhibited a mean and
uncouth appearance. In the same manner, the man of
piety not unfrequently appears desj^icable in the eyes of
the world ; but were you to look into his interior, you
would see that it is covered, like the ark, with the pm'est
gold : you would perceive that it is filled with the glory of
the Lord -. you would be ravished mth the sweetness of
the perfumes of prayer, which constantly ascend fi'om the
inflamed altar of his heart: you would admire the silence,
the peace, the grandeur, that reign tliere undisturbed;
in a word, you would be convinced that the Lord has
chosen it for his abode, and that it is his delight to dwell
therein."
It is, then, a truth, founded upon the word of God, that
a Christian life is a happy one, and that there is no true,
no solid happiness, but in observing his divine law. This
truth is also proved by experience. We can cite an unsus-
pected witness, St. Augustine, who, before his conversion,
had for many years lived in forgetfuLness of God, and in
the gratification of his passions. Being at length converted.
Bee how he expresses himself in his Confatsious- • " My
God, Thou hast broken my bonds ; may my heart and tongue
forever praise Thee, for having made me take up thy light
HAPPINESS OP SERVING OOD. 335
biirden, and carry thy sweet yoke. How sweet on a sudden
did it become to me to be without the sweets of those toys 1
and wh;it I was before afi-aid to lose, I now cast from me
with joy ; for Thou, who art the true and sovereign sweet-
ness, hist expelled them from me ; and in lieu of them,
Thou hast taken up thy abode in my soul, imparting to it
pleasures sweeter than any known to flesh and blood ;
brighter than any light whatever, but more interior than
any secret ; higher than any dignity whatever, but not to
those who are high in their own conceit. Now was my mind
free from the annoying cares of the ambition of honor, of
the acquisition of riches, and of weltering in pleasures, and
my infant tongue began to lisp to Thee, my God, my true
honor, my riches, and my salvation.''
A life of sin and disorder is a cruel slavery, in which one
is torn by continual inquietude ; a virtuous life is, on the
contrary, an unfailing source of tranquillity and consolation.
We must, it is true, do violence to oui-selves, and resist our
passions ; but this resistance costs little to the soul that
loves God ; the sacrifices which we make are amply com-
pensated by the testimony of a good conscience, and by
the hope of eternal happiness, which repleni.5hes the soul
with joy. The experience of St. Augustine is also that of
all who serve God with fidelity. And are not we ourselves
acquainted with many of those happy souls who are truly
faithful in the discharge of aU their duties ? A pure and
innocent joy, a simple and modest gaiety, accompany them
everyTvhere. The serenity of their soul is depicted on their
countenance ; the profound calm which they enjoy, their
peace of heart, are manifested in their exterior. Can we
doubt that this calm, this peace, is the fruit of virtue? But
why refer to others ? Have you not experienced the hap-
piness that attends the practice of virtue ? Recall the pe-
riod of youth, when, moved by divine grace, you humbly
and penitently confessed your faults, and were admitted
for the first time to the holy table -, did you not taste how
sweet the Lord is to those that love him ? On that happy
day, your heart, disengaged from its jjassions and pure in
the divine sight, relished and thirsted after God alone.
J3€ DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
What joy then inundated your heart ! What serenity filled
your soul ! What sweet tears did you not shed ! How ar-
dently j^ou desired to continue always in that blissful state 1
Make the acknowledgment with gratitude ; render this just
tribute to religion, that you have never enjoyed moments
so delicious, nor have ever spent <a more delightful day.
You then comprehended the force of this maxim : in vir-
tue alone is happiness to be found ; then you were pene
trated with sentiments like those which animated the
prophet, when he said : Ves, my God, a single day passed
ill thy house, is better than entire years spent in tJie tabernacles
of sinners.
If you have preserved these sentiments of piety, tliis
holy relish of virtue, bless the Lord ; for you will easily
comprehend what has been said on the happiness of a
Chi'istian life. If, on the contrary, virtue, which formerly
possessed so many charms for you, appears now impor-
tunate and burdensome, lay the blame on your own infi-
delity in discharging its duties. Had you walked constantly
in the way of God, you would have enjoyed unalterable
peace. There remains for you one resource ; namely, to
take a generous resolution of obseiwing exactly the law of
the Lord, and of overcoming your repugnances at the out-
set. Eeturn to your Father : a sigh disarms Him -, a tear
appeases Him. You will soon feel in your soul those inte-
rior consolations and ineffiible dehghts which constituted
your happiness in the days of your innocence.
Can any one be unhappy in serving Thee, my God ? Ai*t
Thou not the Source of every good ? No, Lord ; it cannot
be ; for thy yoke is sweet and thy burden light.* Thou
hast created us for thyself, and never shall we tind rest till
we repose in Thee, hx vain do I seek happiness out ol
Thee ; and what else have I yet found but deceitful,
perishable goods, which leave the heart empty ; or real
evils, which fill it with bitterness and disgust ? Thou hast
said, 0 Lord 1 that '' there is no peace to the wicked: "|
cutting remorse, continual alarms, and consuming griefs
are their only portion. He who carries iniquity in his
* Matt., xi, 30 I Isaias, xlviii, l2.
U.V1TINES3 OF SBKVINO €K)D. 33T
bosom, vorries with it terror and perturbation. But how
different the lot of a soul that serves Thee, my God 1 It ia
always tranquil, content," and happy. It has, no doubt,
sacrifices to malce, but the unction of thy gi-ace renders
these sacrilices easy and agreeable ; it has pains to endure,
but these pains are scarcely felt in the midst of the con-
solations Thou bestowest on him. My God, I no longer
hesitate to embrace a life of virtue, persuaded that such a
Ufe is far sweeter than that which sirmers lead. I will be
faithful in observing thy holy laws, in the full confidence
of attaining true happiness on earth, and that perfect felic-
ity in Heaven, which Thou reservest for those who lead a
truly Christian life.
At a time when purple fever raged in Paris, and carried ofl
great numbers of the poor before they could be removed
to the hospitals, the Priests of one of the parishes, not be-
ing sufficiently numerous to attend the dying, were obliged
to call in the aid of the religious communities. A vener-
able Capuchin, who had offered himself for the service,
visited a miserable dwelling, in which he beheld a victim
of the contagion. He was an old man, stretched upon fil-
thy rags ; a little hay was his only bed, no attendants, no
furniture, not even a chair : everything had been sold, in
the commencement of his illness, to purchase food. On the
wall hung a picture of Christ crucified •, and at a little dis-
tance, the hatchet and saw with which, whilst in health, he
had procured a livelihood. "Take courage, my friend,"
said the confessor to him ; " God grants you a great favor;
you are going to depart from a world in ivhich you have
had much to suffer." "What sufferings?" rephed the dy-
ing man, in a voice scarcely articulate. — "You are deceived,
reverend Father ; I have never had occasion to complain of
my lot. My crucifix has been my consolation in the midst
of my labors ; religion has been my happiness ; I have,
therefore, lived contentedly — poor, indeed, but always in
health and in the fear of God, who has never left me des-
titute of necessaries. 0 Father ! how amiable religion is 1
how precious the treasures which she comprises ! — peace^
338
DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
eontent, and unalterable happiness, are the portion of thosa
who love her." The confessor, no less edified than astonish-
ed at sentiments so religious, gave God thanks, and then
addressing the sick man. said : "Although your life has
not been unhappy, you must be resigned to leave it. " Ah !
Father," h© replied, • we must all pass this way ; and I
have no desire save that of bemg united to my God, whom
I thank with all my hoai-t for life and all his other benefits.
But, Father, I feel my death approaching ; administer to
me, if you please, the last sacraments." Having received
them with sentiments of extraordinary devotion, he expir-
ed, leaving his confessor, and all who had the happiness of
being present, in admiration of the efifects which reUgion
produces in hearts which are docile to the inspiration and
calls of divine grace.
Exercises. — 1- What idea is frequently formed of a Christian life?
—2. Show the falseness of this idea.— 3- What promise does the Scrip-
ture make him who is faithful to the law of the Lord ? — 4. What must
be done to lead a truly Christian life 'I
" To the Kini; of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor ani
glory for ever and ever. Amen." — 1 Tim., i, 17.
END OF THE DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN.
I
APPENDIX.
-«c-
CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.
SECTION L
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
Politeness consists in ease and gracefulness of manners,
united with a desire to please others, and a careful atten-
tion to their wants and wishes.
The Chi'istian youth, at his entrance into society, should
be well instructed not only in his reUgious duties, but also
in those duties of politeness, without wliich virtue itself
loses much of its influence, and learning, that respect to
which it is so justly entitled.
Created to ' the image of God, and bound to imitate a
Redeemer, each of whose actions was distinguished by
meekness and aftability : intended, also, to fulfil an im-
portant destiny on earth, the Christian should be animated
with the most lively sentiments of benevolence towards
men, while his conduct in their I'egard should ever be the
faithful expression of his sentiments. If not possessed of
that vmion of simplicity, meekness, and dignity, so charac-
teristic of Christian manners, his deportment should, at
least, be free from everything afiectcd, rude, or repulsive.
1 arents. and those charged with the impoi'tant office of
educating youth, should spare no pains to render their
manners polite and engaging -, and children, on their part,
should not fail to correspond with every etibrt tending to
theii" improvement in this department of their education.
Both should remember, that in early life good habits can
be most easily acquired, and that the impressions then
received will most generally influence the conduct and
manners in after-life. The precepts of a good education
may, indeed, in some instances, seem to have been for-
gotten ; they may appear to exercise but little influence
on a young man's sentiments and conduct; but, it is not
difficult to discern, even in the midst of his greatest irreg-
340 CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
lilarities and excesses, the good effects of those If^ssoni
of virtue and politeness which ha learned in childhood.
This little treatise is intended to assist young persons in
forming tiieir maimers in accordance with the rules of de-
corum and the received usages of civilized life. It is
divided into two parts ; the first treats of what relates to
external appearance; the second contains instructions on
the more ordinary actions of life ; namely, rismg, retiring
to rest, meals, conversation, amusement, &c. All these
require distinct rules and the most marked attention, that
everything may be done in order, and that our daily ac-
tions, corresponding, in the motive and the manner of
performing them, with the designs of God, may ultunately
tend to the perfection of our being.
Cleanliness of person renders us agreeable to others ; it
promotes cheerfulness, and is an excellent preservative of
health. It also bears a great analogy to purity of mind,
and naturally inspires reiined sentiments. These I'easons
alone should be sufficient to induce young persons to prac-
tise what they are taught on a subject of such jiaramount
importance.
Sleep is necessary to our existence, but it should Joe
taken at suitable times, and with due moderation ; for,
when it is either unseasonable or excessive, it becomes
injurious to mind and body.
Food should be i^ropoitioned to our constitution and
necessities. Excessive indulgence in its use, particularly
if habitual, is displeasing to God, and is sure to be attend-
ed with sleepmess, stupidity, and loss of health. Children,
particularly, require instruction on this matter, as, not
foreseeing the evil consequences, they often yield to the
present gratilication of then' appetite.
Man is born for society — to live and converse with his
fellow-men. He should, therefore, m his conversation, in
t lie visits which he receives and pays, and, (inally, in all
the circumstances in which he may be placed, know well
all the duties wliich good-breeding, reason, and religion
prescribe. These duties are, prudence m manners ; cir-
cumspection in discourse: honesty of pui'i^ose; due re-
gard for equals and superiors : patience and meekness in
dealing with jiersons of peevish or vinmanageable temper ;
uniform charity on tiying occasions ; a constant care to
avoid wounding either the reputation of the absent by
malicious calumnies or disadvantageous reports, or tho
modesty of those present by ill-timed praise or sickening
adulation ; an exact guard upon the eyes; a great restraint
NE0E8S1TT OK POLITENESS. 341
on the tongue ; and the flight of whatever might infringe,
in the slightest degree, the sacred law of charity. Such is
an abstract of tlie virtues to which, from infancy, the
young ?hould be trained by those to whose care they are
entrusted. These virtues should be so deeply imprinted
on the memory and heart, that tliey miy be instantly
called into action, as occasion may require.
AUhough man, without exception of rank or condition,
is irrevocably doomed to labor, yet the Lord, ever equit-
able in his decrees, permits him to take the recreation ne-
cessary to recruit liis strength and maintain his vigor. It
should, however, be commensurate with his wants; for,
were it to degenerate into sloth or dissipation, it would be
opposed to the will of God and might, moreover, prove a
fruitful source of sin. On a subject, therefore, so little
understood by a perverse and sinful world, it is of gz-eat
consequence to give detailed lessons to young people, who
are naturally inclined to amusement and, but too fre-
quently, want discretion and moderation in its use.
SECTION 11.
NECESSITY AND ADVANTAGES OF POLITENESS.
Wlien Michael Angelo had been several days employed on
a statue, giving what he termed a slight degree of grace to
one limb and of energy to another, a gentleman remarked
to him that these were trifles, and unworthy of so much
attention. "Trifles, certainly," he replied; ''butti-ifles
make perfection, and perfection is no trifle." This obser-
vation may be titly applied to politeness, which consists
of a series of little tlaings such as a look, the tone of the
voice, a kind word, an obliging action, an air of satisfaction
and of gratitude for kindness received, and a number of
considerate attentions, which can be better felt than de-
scribed. Though these, taken singly, may, perhaps, appear
trifling ; yet, in the aggregate, they forin the characteris-
tics of true politeness.
Tlie source of true politeness is the heart, in which there
must exist a great degiee of good will to men, and a sincere
desire to promote their happiness. Politeness, when prac-
tised in early life, becomes a habit, and its exercise, like
■that of other habits, will be easy and agreeable. It should
begin under the paternal roof, and be cultivated in the daily
intercourse of domestic hfe. There the passions, as tihey
gradually arise, can be placed under due restraint ; the
342 CaEISTIAN POLITENESS.
kindly feelings can best and most frequently be exercised,
the constant interchange of good oflBces encouraged ; and
tlie manners formed to gentleness and courtesy.
The child who, in the retirement of home, acts towards his
parents with reverence and love, and towards his brothers
and sisters with kindness and affection ; wlio seeks oppor-
tunities of rendering them little services, and feels regret
when he cannot contribute to their comfort an 1 hippiness ;
who never indulges anger, moroseness, or incivility, but is
uniformly mild, amiable, and obliging ; will tind it easy to
act, on all occasions, towards others also with sweetness and
affability. He, on the contrary, who is wont to act with
rudeness and incivility in the bosom of his family, will never
possess that amiable and generous disposition, nor those
polite and engaging manners, which, in the intercourse of
society, require to be unremittingly exercised.
It is mentioned of a certain j)relate, remarkable for his
meek and elegant demeanor, that, in the retirement of
home, and in his intercourse with his domestics, he pre-
served, even in his least actions, the same meekness and
courtesy which marked his conduct m public. Hence, he was
never surprised, but on every occasion and in every place
acted with such singular gracefulness and benignity, as
commanded the respect and won the esteem of all who
approached him. What a lesson for the young, to accustom
themselves at home to the duties they must discharge
abroad ; never to act rudely or ill-naturedly, nor suffer an
unlcind loolc, an angry or offensive word, to escape them ;
and to be careful never to permit the charming familiarity
of domestic life to degenerate, asit notunfrequentlydoes,
into neglect, rudeness, or incivility ! They should remember,
that no courtesy, however great, can be sincere or lasting,
if the love of God, and a view to Him, be not its primary
object. He who, in early life, learns to regard God and Iiis
good pleasui"e in every act of Idndness he performs, will
gradually be strengthened in love for others, and will be
prompted, even under discouraging circumstances, to ren-
der them a number of affectionate services.
There are two things extremely prejudicial to politeness,
and which, if indulged, would prove fatal to its exercise.
The lirst of these is sc/Jlshness. The contuiual preference
of others; the unremitting attention to please without
embari'assing ; the self-government necessary to restrain
the heart and tongue under circumstances of provocation ;
the yielding with a good grace, to humors and caprices ;
and the multitude of little sacrifices which politeness de-
HBOESSITY OF POLITENESa. 343
mands, iippear intolerable to him who never thinks but of
self and its gratilication, and who is a stranger to the delight
that emanates from the consciousness of having communi-
cated pleasure. To the generous mind, such sacrifices be-
come sources of pleasure, and seldom fail to obtain many
grateful returns from the objects of his attention.
The second is morose/ies.? of temper. A cheerful disposi-
tion is one of the greatest blessings ; it imparts sunshine
wherever it appears. It not only contributes to the hap-
piness of its possessor, but diffuses joy and happiness around
him. How gloomy the condition of the house from which,
through the angry, vehement, or dissatisiied disposition of
some of its members, cheerfulness is entirely banished 1
Peace, union, and good feeling cannot be inmates of such
a dwelling ; mutual coldness, estrangement, and perhaps
aversion, become its occupants ; and the domestic hearth,
p/hich should be the centre of light, love and happiness,
about Wliich all should gather in clieerful and affectionate
festivity, becomes an object of gloom and disaffection.
A young person never should mdulge a passion or a feel-
ing which would occasion or increase so deplorable an evil.
If, unfortvu'iately, he had not in childhood been trained to
gentleness and piety, and finds his temper headstrong and
violent, he should not, on that account, despair of its re-
formation. As there is no disj^osition naturally so good, as
not to be susceptible of improvement, so there is not one so
decidedly bad, as not to admitof being restrained and mo-
derated. He who said to the waves, " Be still," and they
instantly obeyed his voice, is ever ready to assist, with his
grace, those who are desirous of quelling the tumult of
passion. When evil propensities are judiciously governed
and corrected, they usually become means of sanctilrcation.
Persons of the most ardent and impetuous temperaments
have, by the grace of God, and their own care and watch-
fulness, become models of meekness, moderation, and
sanctity. Of the youthful duke of Burgundy, we are told
by his biographer, that " he was born terrible, and, during
his tirst years, continued an object of terror : that he was
hard-hearted ; irascible to the extreme of passion, even
against inanimate objects : impetuous to a degree of fury ;
incapalile of bearing the least opposition to his wishes,
even from time or climate, without putting himself into par-
oxysms of rage that made others tremble for their exist-
ence ; stubborn in the highest degree, and passionate in
the pursuit of every kind of pleasure : that he considered
other men as atoms, to whom he bore no resemblance,
344 OHBISTUN POLITENESS.
and regarded even his brothers, although they were edu
cated on an equality with himself, as intermediate beings
between him and the rest of manldnd." " But," adds the
writer, " the prodigy was, that, in a short space of time,
under the care of Fenelon, religion and the grace of God
made him a new man, and changed those bad qualities into
the opposite virtues. From tiie abyss which I have described,
there arose an affable, gentle, modeiato, patient, modest
l^rince, austere only to himself, observant of his duties,
and sensible of their great extent. Ilis only object seemed
to be, to perform all his duties as a son and a subject, and
to qualify himself for the discharge of future obligations."
Madame de Maintenon speaks in a similar manner :—
'' We saw all those defects, which in the youth of the duke
of Burgundy alarmed us so much, gradually disappear. His
virtue kept pace with his years ; and so much had his piety
changed him, that, from being the most passionate of men,
he became mild, gentle, and complying ; one would have
thought that mildness was his natural disposition, and that
he was innately good. "
St. Francis of Sales was of so ardent a temperament,
that, to subdue it, he assures us, it cost him twelve years'
struggle : and yet his meekness became such that it always
apijeared on his invariably serene countenance. His mien
was so inexpressibly amiable and benign, that, as wc are
assured by his contemporary, St. Vincent of Paul, he rnight
be regarded as the living image of our Blessed Redeemer.
The rudeness of others should not prevent us from exer-
cising politeness towards tliem. To treat them politely ia
the best means of triumphing over ourselves, and very
frequently, of reforming them ; whilst it secures to us
that interior i^eace which always flows from the conscious-
ness of having performed an action, at once opposed to
the false maxims of corrupt nature, and in accordance with
the dictates of religion.
In a certain family there was one of a very disobliging
disposition, who would not put himself to the slightest in-
convenience or make the least sacrifice to oblige. He seemed
so entirely engrossed with his o\vn little gratiiications as to
be quite insensible to the feelings or convenience of others.
Another member of the family, of a very religious and af-
fectionate disposition, resolved to eiiect his reform. He
availed himself of every opportunitj'' to oblige him, antici-
pated his most trifling wan ts, and even sought occasions of
contributing to liis convenience. A great change was soon
visible ; acts of kindness began to be exercised ; the dis-
NEOESSITT OF POLITENESS. 345
position to do them was gradually acquired ; and this un-
iiccommodating individual became afterwards remarkable
in the fomily for his polite attentions. The person who
had made the experiment, was amply compensated bj'' the
general good feeling which the change produced, and by
the many kmdnesses which he afterwards received from
the mdividual whose disobUging manners he had thus been
instrumental m correcthig.
To acquu'o habits of politeness, then, a person must begin
in youth — under the ey es o f his mother. lie must cultivate a
deep reverence for parents ; a sincere affection for relatives
and friends ; gentleness and courtesy to equals ; afliibility
to inferiors ; cheerftduess of mind ; a desire to please and
oblige : a gentle, amiable, engaging manner of acquit,ting
himself of every domestic duty. He must do all this, with
a view of God, and an intention of pleasing Him. Such a
person will not, when he enters society, disgust by rude or
unbecoming manners ; but will, wherever he may be plac-
ed, find the exercise of pohteness easy and agreable; will
secm'e for himself the respect of all who v\atness liis con-
duct ; and, what is infinitely better, will, by the exalted
motive of his actions, obtain the blessing and approbation
of Heaven.
This chapter cannot be more approjiriately concluded
than by the following extract from the description of our
divine Redeemer, in his intercourse vsdth his Apostles, by a
Father of the Society of Jesus. ''They were men, for the
most part, without education, good-breedmg, or pohte-
ness; yet never did he separate himself from them, never
did he appear pained or dejected by their ill manners. He
insti'ucted them with patience, reprehended them with
meekuess, and gave them nothing to suffer. He lived with
them on a kmd of equahty, always ready to serve them,
and to receive their least services with such sweetness and
affability, that harcUy could it be perceived that he was the
master."
PART FIRST
OF MODESTY IN THE EXTERIOR.
CHAPTER 1.
ON DEPORTMENT.
Nothing contributes more to exterior dignity and pro-
priety of manners, than exactness in preserving the natm-al
positions and motions of each pait of the body ; so true it
is, as a late writer has very justly remai'ked, that '' grace-
fulness is to the body what good sense is to the mind."
Young persons, especially, are very subject to defects
offensive, alike, to modesty and gracefulness. The first of
these is a silly affectation, which puts the body, as it were,
upon the rack, and governs all its motions as if it weie a
piece of macliinery.
An artificially-measured step, accompnnied with an air of
affected gravity, is no less opjjosed to projiricty than that
carelessness of manner which is the effect of sloth, or of
low and vulgar sentiments. Persons of a lively and impet-
uous temperament should watch over themselves with
greater vigilance than others. Their jjosture in standing or
sitting should be adjusted with thoughtfulness and deco-
rum, and their gestures few but appropriate.
It is not, however, meant that a young person should as-
sume that grave and thoughtful ah- which is the compan-
ion of maturer years ; no more is required than that his
deportment be modest, graceful, and reserved, yet with-
out stiffness or affectation.
There is a gravity of demeanor indicative of haughtiness,
which, in any one, but particularly in a Christian, whose
divine Model was " meek and humble of heart. " ' is repre-
hensible. The exalted idea of his spiritual origin and des-
tiny, that every Christian should have, would impart to his
conduct that sweet and amiable gravity which inspires
i-es]-)ect and conJidonce. An air of elevation and dignity,
wli.-ii regulated by modesty, humiUty, and a feeliug sense
THE DEPORTMENT. 347
of what a Christian is, oi^, at least, ought to he, bears a re-
lation to the dignity and majesty of God.
If circumstances rec|uire a person to remaiia standing,
he should not stoop, keep his head on one side, or lean
indolently against the wall or the furniture.
In sitting,"^he should, to preserve a graceful and agree-
able position, select a high rather than a low chair. He
should not throw his arm over the back of it, nor rest his
elbow on the back of anotlisr chair to support his head,
nor swing himself in his chair as in a balance. He should
sit in rather an upright position, and not change his seat
without necessity ; neither should he draw his chair with
noise along the floor, nor place it in a situation inconvenient
to those who leave or enter the appartment.
It would be improper to select the handsomest chair in
the room, or an armed chaii-, in preference to an ordinary
one ; but if invited to either, he should take it without
hesitation. To take such a chair, in the first case, would
betray rudeness or self;importance ; to refuse it, in the
second, would be questionmg the judgment of the person
who offered it.
On entering an apartment, if there be many present,
one should glance around to pay his regards to all, and
having bowed, reth'e to the place assigned him, or to that
which is most convenient. If on terms of intimacy, and
that he finds it necessary to shake hands, he should first
advance to the mistress of the house, then to the othei"s,
in the order of their rank.
One should not stand while others are sitting, nor sit
wliile they are standing. If the person who addresses
another remains standing, the latter, if sitting, should rise,
and not reply in a sittmg posture, unless desired to do so.
In meeting acquaintances in the street, they should ne-
ver be addressed in so loud a tone of voice, that either
then- names or the natm-e of the conversation could be
kno\vn by persons passing by. The same should be observ-
ed in shops and places of public resort.
Wlien a j)erson, in company with another, meets a friend
or an acquaintance, he should not introduce the parties to
each other unless he has reason to believe that doing so
would be mutually agreeable. The inferior in point of age
or rank should be always introduced to the supeiior.
Modes of salutation should be particularly attended to.
With equals and inferiors, the most ordinary is a shght
Lnchnation of the head; with equals on i'amiliar terms, a
gesture with the hand ; and with thos^e who by their sta-
348 CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
tion or virtues are entitled to peculiar respect, a toucllin}^
or raising of the hat. This last mode is that which is usuai
ffhen meeting a clergyman. The exalted dignity to which
he has been raised, and the reverence and love which we
feel for that almighty Being whose ambassador h 3 is, should
inspire us with veneration for his person ; and this interior
feeling should, on every suitable occasion, be accompanied
by its appropriate exterior expi-ession.
Children should be instructed never to fail in this tribute
of respect and reverence. So long as they respect religion,
so long will they resi^ect its minister. When they cease to
respect him, they soon begin to disresiject I'eligion also ;
and as it is hardly possible to feel interior respect without
manifesting it exteriorly, so these sentiments will soon be
extinguished within us, if their exterior expression be
habitually disregarded.
CHAPTER 11.
OF THE HEAD.
The head should be kept ei-ect ; it should not be turnea
giddily from side to side. When engaged in conversation,
we should pay particular attention to the regulation of its
motions.
In xiresenting or receiving anything, we should make a
slight inclination with the head.
We should never answer by a nod of the head the ques-
tions that are put to us, nor testify indifierence or con-
tempt by a gesture of this description.
Putting the hand to the head, or touching tlie hair, par-
ticularly at table, should be avoided ; and children, when
guilty of any rudeness in this respect, should be admon-
ished not to repeat it.
The ears should be kept perfectly clean ; but they
should never be cleaned in presence of others.
The hair should be combed and brushed every morning,
both as a part of external cleanliness and as a means of
its preservation ; but it should be remembered, that though
a moderate and becomins^ attention to the hair is neces-
O ....
sary, yet too much care of it, or excessive precision m its
adjustment, is inconsistent with Chi'istian or religious
modesty.
THB OOCNTENANCE. 349
CHAPTER III.
OP THE COUNTENANCE.
The wise man says, that a man of sense is known by the
expression of his countenance. " It is," says an ancient
writer, "the mirror of the soul, the attestation of modesty,
or the witness of the corruption of the heart." When our
conduct is actuated by amiable and benevolent sentiments,
the countenance is an object of ediiication. To render it
agreeable to others, it must have nothing in its expression
either severe or repulsive ; nothing wild or ferocious ;
nothing indicative either of levity or ostentation. It should
exhibit an amiable gravity, a pi;re, disinterested benevo-
lence, a calm and thoughtful serenity, free from gloom
and despondency on the one hand, and from frivolity or
dissipation on the other.
The expression of the countenance should, however, be
varied according to the circumstances in which one may
be placed, or the persons with whom one may converse.
It would evidently be improper, nay, offensive, to jest and
laugh whilst spealdng to persons in affliction ; to address
them in a gay or joyous tone ; or to converse with them on
some sorrowful event with an air of indifference. It would
be equally improper, when the conversation turns on
amusing or agreeable subjects, to assume a thoughtful or
melancholy air.
With regard to his personal afEurs, the truly wise person
Preserves, as much as possible, a serene countenance. As
e recognizes the will of the Almighty in all events, and
humbly submits to his ever-wise and equitable decrees, so
his countenance always bespeaks that calm and peaceful
submission which reigns in his soul. The countenance
must, and indeed will, give expression to different sensa-
tions of the soul ; but the man of sense and virtue pos-
sesses suflicient self-command to observe due moderation
in any manifestation of his sorrovirf ul or joyous feelings.
Notning is more painful, particularly to those who are
obliged to live and converse with him, than a man whose
countenance expresses gaiety at one moment and ill-
humor at another. Such instability is a proof that he suf-
fers himself to be easily borne away by the tumult of his
passions, that he possesses little good sense or solid virtue,
and has little regard for the feeUngs or happiness of those
around him. Such persons make themselves the plague
of their children and domestics, instead of being models
350 OHEISTIAN POLITKNESS.
for their imitation, and guardian's placed over them for
their comfort and protection.
When in the presence of persons whose age, virtue, or
station, merits particular veneration or respect, the coun-
tenance should express those feelings, without, however,
any childish timidity, which is ordinarily the mark of a
weak mind or of an ignorance of the qualities which Chi-is-
tian modesty should possess. With our friends we should
always preserve a gay and cheerful coimtenance, in order
to promote their happiness and render conversation more
easy and agreeable. Persons with whom we are but slightly
acquainted, who are placed above us in station, or whose
character may not be sufficiently known to us, should be
treated with a respectful, yet cheerful reserve, and care
taken not to act towards them, with a familiarity which
may not be agreeable to them, or becoming in us.
Whatever be a young man's station in Life, he should
endeavor, by the faithful discharge of its duties, to render
himself worthy of esteem. He should exhibit a manly in-
dependence, by not forcing himself on the attention of
those who may consider themselves his superiors in ranJc,
or who do not desire his acquaintance.
Young persons have often been injured, and their pros-
pects in life blighted, by mixuig with those of more
elevated station ; the inevitable consequences of which
are, neglect of business, lavish expenditure, and. ultimate-
ly, poverty and degradation. A young man who lives in
the bosom of his femily, whose circle of acquaintance is
limited, and who attends industriously to the business of
his calling, possesses more real happmess, and lays the
foundation of a greater share of future comfort and prosper-
ity, than association with those of a higher order of intel-
lect or more exalted position in life, could possibly procure.
Vu'tue and happiness are preserved and protecteii in the
one case, in the other they are but too frequently ship-
wrecked.
Before concluding this chapter, it may not be unimpor-
tant to remind those children for whose use it is intended,
that cleanliness, especially of the face, should be attended
to. In speaking of the countenance, it may also be observ-
ed, that the habitual sense of the presence of God, besides
the spu'itual advantages which it produces, has a consider-
able influence in mouldmg its expression ; for he who is
duly sensible of that presence, must, according to the le-
mark of one of the saints, feel that all the days of hi« life
we festive days with him, because he considers himself aa
THB OOUNTEXAJTOE. 351
living in God, "in whom we live, move and have our
being.'" Ho blends seriousness with joy, by the conscious-
ness of God's continual presence ; and he blends joy with
seriousness, by the tirni and lively hope that he is every
moment receiving new graces and blessings.
CHAPTER IV.
THE COUNTENANCE (CONTINUED).
We should avoid wrinkling the forehead. A wrmkled
forehead is often the mark of a melancholy temper, or of
a haughty soul that despises those whom it considers its
inferiors. Children should be admonished to repress every
sentiment of pride, and never to suifer the least symptom
of so dangerous a vice to apjDear. They should be occasion-
ally reminded that the poorest of God's creatures have
been created by the same almighty Being, and for the
same high destiny as themselves; that they have been
redeemed with the same precious blood of an Incarnate
God, and that we should regard them as our brethren on
earth, our future co-heirs in Heaven, and as the represent-
atives of him who considers as done to himself, the good
or evil dons to them. If this just and salutary reflection
were deeply impressed on the mind and heart of young
people, the contempt and superciliousness with which they
sometimes treat theii' poorer fellow-beings would never
disgrace their conduct. How much would the sum of
human hap^jiness be increased, if such sentiments received
the attention to which they are entitled !
The most beautiful ornament of the countenance is
modesty. It is one of the most distinguishing character-
istics of a servant of God. " Let your modesty be knovra
to all men," says the Apostle; " the Lord is nigh." This
modesty in the truly virtuous Christian suffuses the face
with a certain tinge, which an ancient writer tei-ms the hue
of virtue. When the heart is pure and upright, the least
unseemly word or action causes a blush — a manifestation
of that delicacy of feeling of which the unpious and obdu-
rate are not susceptible.
Although the Gospel counsels us to turn the right cheek
to him who strikes the left, yet no one should be so infat-
uated 8s to strike his neighbor, under the pretext that
he ought to sHiFer it with patience. A blow on the face is,
of aJl affi'onts, one of the most insulting ; it is the effect of
852 ohristiaK politeness.
uncontrolled anger, of mean revenge. He who is struck,
should not, however, avenge the wrong by a similar inso-
lence, no matter what the world may think or say. He
should remember that his divine Master was struck on the
face, and was, during the whole course of his passion, the
object of blasphemy, contumely, and unheard of outrages.
He should remember that the noblest revenge of a Chris-
tian is to bear injuries with patience, and to pardon those
who insult liim ; thus imitating the adorable Model of the
elect, who prayed for his enemies, and in death recom-
mended them to the mercy of his Eternal Father. We can-
not, mdeed, always be master of the tirst impulses of pas-
sion, but we can, by habitual watchfulness and restramt,
forbear any action inconsistent with the spirit and maxims
of the Gospel.
Revenge was regarded even by the sages of antiquity as
a violent and mahgnant passion ; and its indulgence, a
proof of cowardice and unbecihty, rather than as a mark
of com'age or magnanimity.
In pardonmg an injury, we may convert an enemy into
a friend ; but if we fail in this, we shall at least feel the
happy consciousness of having sacrihced resentment to
duty, and performed a deed worthy the aj^plause of all
good men, and deserving the approbation of God and his
angfils.
CHAPTER V.
THE COUNTENANCE (CONTINUED).
In Holy Writ, the eyes are called the windoios of the soul,
because its various feelings and emotions are easily discern-
ible through them. Their movements should, therefore,
be regulated with special care. The looks of the modest
and humble are ever mild, peaceful, and reserved ; those
of the proud and overbearing are insolent and haughty.
To turn the eyes lightly from side to side, without fixing
them on anything, is a sign of a giddy and an unstable
character. Good sense and politeness equally forbid this
fault. Some look at an object with a kind of vacant gaze.
This may happen when the mind is pre-occupied with some
important atfau- ; but in most cases it is an indication of a
mind habitually distracted, and, therefore, incapable of
attending for any length of time to any specific object.
Some persons when in affliction look tixedly on the
ground, and appear unconscious of what takes place around
TKE OOTTNTBNAirOB.
353
s
them. How just soever the cause of then- giiet" may be
they should not indulge such an objectionable manifestation
of it : to do so argues a state of excessive dejection and
mental weakness, unbeseeming in persons instructed in
the truths and maxims of the Gospel. To look over the
shoulder, to distort the eyes in order to excite laughter,
to stare boldly at others, are all great improprieties ; but
to tLx the eyes on any object calculated to sully that purity
of mind and heart v?hich forms the Chi-istian's richest
treasure, would be contraiy not only to propriety, but also
to the spirit of Chi'istian and religious modesty.
He who is truly grateful for the gift of sight, who often
reflects on its sublime destiny hereafter, namely, the vision
of God " face to face, and as He is,'" will be far from mak-
ing use of this precious gift to offend its bountifvd Giver.
He will, on the contrary, use it as a means of serving Him
with the utmost fidelity, and of elevating his mind to the
contemplation of that bright and everlasting vision of
which He has promised it the enjoyment. The sightof
the heavens, the earth, the sea, a flower, will remind bim
of his glorious Benefactor, and raise his soul to Him in
transports of love, gratitude, and admhation. Happy is
he, who, fi'om an early period of life, has learned to make
every object in creation a means of more closely uniting
him with his Creator.
CHAPTER VI.
CONCLUDING OBSKRVATIONS ON THE COUNTENANCE.
Young persons should be provided with a pocket-hand-
kerchief as soon as they are able to use one. This will
prevent those improprieties, particularly snuflOing, into
which their agti and thoughtlessness render them liable to
fall.
In the use of their pocket-handkerchiefs, many persons
offend against propriety. Some wave them about, others
keep them constantly in their hands, and frequently let
them fall on the ground ; others lay them on chairs,
tables, and other articles of furniture. All these faults
should be avoided. The pocket-handkerchief should be
seen as little as possible; it should be kept in the pocket,
and taken out only when necessary. It should be used
silently, without violent action of the hands, and retm-ned
immediately to its place.
354 OHMSTIAN POLITENE9S.
Care should be taken tioi u> handle the pocket-hand-
kerchief of another. Should he let it fall, you may notify
him, but you should not reach it to him. If the pocket-
handkercliief be used immediately before entering an
apartment it will frequently happeu t.hat there will be no
need to use it during one's stay, uniess it be of long con-
tinuance.
Every efibrt should be made to avoid yawning in com-
pany, indeed it would be better to retho, than by yawning
to give persons to understand that one is weary of their
society.
When sneezing or coughing, one should take care, by
the mtervention of his hand or pocket-handkerchief, to
prevent liis saliva from falUng on any person or on any ar-
ticle of fm'niture. It is rude to spit on the floor, or into the
fii*e, or even on the footways in the streets. To spit on the
floor in church is hreverent as well as rude. These faults
have been committed by persons who, from then- age and
station, should have known better ; but being faults, they
should, notwithstanding, be avoided.
Young persons should be admonished against the prac-
tice of smoking, which is but too common with young men
when they begin to associate with one another. Neither,
as a general rule, should they take snuff, llabits of this
kind are seldom overcome, and are sometimes, particularly
smoking, productive of much inconvenience to the indi-
vidual himself, and to those who, from a sense of duty,
cannot withdraw from his company.
The mouth should be kept in its natural position, and
should be rinsed with clean water e'J'ery morning. Nothing
should be taken which would render the breath disagree-
able to others. The lips are frequently disligured by biting^
distorting, or compressing them ; by raising them too
much, or puUing them with the lingers. The teeth are fre-
quently injm'ed, eithei- by neglecting to clean them, or
by cleansing them with whatisuniitior th itpurpose. They
should be w-ashed every day with water and a soft brush,
and not picked with a piii or pen-lcnife. Tiie end of a quill
pointed bluntly maybe used with safety, but it should bo
remembered that the teethshould never be picked at table.
Children should avoid biting their nails ; also cutting thmga
with their teeth, and making trial of their power by bend-
big or liiting things with them.
It would not be proper to close this chapter without al-
lusion to a fault very prevalent among childi-en, and which
often accompanies them mto advanced life, namely, filling
OP AKTIOULATION. 355
the mouth greedily with large portions of food, so as, in
some instances, to be unOjble to breathe without difficulty.
This practice is at once contrary to politeness and iiijiu'ious
to health.
Another fault of a similar character, is that of making an
unnecessary, disagreeable noise with the lips in drinking
tea, cofiee, or other liquids. This rudeness is a certain mark
of a neglected domestic education.
CHAPTER VTl.
OF ARTICULATION.
It is difficult to understand those whose uttei-p^nce is in-
distinct, or who speak in too low a tone of voice, or too
rapidly. In speaking on any subject, we should remember
that our object is to be heard and understood. A person
should, therefore, assume a tone and manner of speaking
suited to the place and audience. Too high a tone is indic-
ative of arrogance; and too low a tone betrays childisliness
and timidity. Avoid both exti-emes.
Wliilst excessive loudness of voice is generally regarded
as characteristic of an overbearing disposition, politeness
equally condemns that effeminacy of tone which is so com-
mon with the youth of our days. It is inconsistent alike
with true dignity and elegance, and is an evident si: :n of
the most pitiful foppery, or of great intellectual weakuess.
Those whose utterance is defective, should endeavor to
remedy it in early life. A little care at that period will
enable them to overcome every defect wliichdoes not pro-
ceed from organic weakness or derangement ; but, if
sutfered to become a habit, it will 1 le almost impossible to
correct it. One general rule for improvement is, to select
the words and syllables most difficult of pronunciation, and
continue to repeat them frequently. The power over them
will increase ahxiost insensibly, and the defect will soon be
eradicated.
Reading aloud for a short time each day to some one
capable of correcting you, or, not h:iving such a person,
reading aloud alone, and watching carefully the words and
syllables which you are apt to pronounce incorrectly or in-
distinctly, is an excellent means of remedying defective
articulation.
356 CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
CHAPTER VIII.
OF THE BODY IN REFERENCE TO ITS ATTITUDES, &IC.
Many young persons when walking stoop so much, that
they resemble the aged or the feeble. The posture of the
body should be erect, the shoulders square, and the chest
expanded. In walldng the arms should not be swung too
much ; nor should they hang stifBy by the sides. Their
motion should be moderate, and the whole carriage easy,
natural and unconstrained. To lean on the elbow when
speaking or listening, to push any one with it, or to turn
away, with a shrug of the shoulders, from one who comes
to addi-ess you, are all contrary to good manners. There
are many ways of ridding yourself of troublesome or im-
portunate persons without having recourse to rudeness.
Politeness and urbanity should at all times be observed;
and while you discreetly avoid the company of those with
whom j^ou do not wish to associate, and rid yourself of it
when they would force it upon you, yet you should do so
without, if possible, wounding their feelings. This is in
accordance with the . spij-it of religion, and also with that
principle of self-respect by which the Christian should, on
all occasions, be actuated.
The hands should be washed every morning ; also before
meals, and whenever anything has soiled them. A child
shovild not, after having washed them, wipe them with his
dress, or with anything not destined for that purpose.
A person should never reach his hand to be shaken by
a superior in rank, unless they be on terms of intimacy ;
otherwise lie might seem to transgress the bounds of due
reserve. If the superior reach his hand, it should, of course,
be respectfully and cordially received. Some reach their
hands coldly ; others offer but two or three fingers ; this
savors of haughtiness. In giving the hand, as in everything
else, cordiality should be apparent. You will spare the
feelings more by not offering it, than by doing so with
coldness and reserve ; but roughness is to be avoided. The
shaking of hands is an outward expression of affection and
good \vill J and, hence, it should ever be the exponent of
those feehngs, not the dictate of policy or dissimulation.
It is impolite to point at the person you speak of, whether
he is near or distant ; to pull the fingei's one after another :
and to move them continually, or to make a craclding noise
with them.
THE BOm- IN liKFEREXCE T>> ITS ATTITUDES. 357
The nails should be kejDt clean, but ihey must never be
cleaned in comi:)any. They should not be cut down below
the linger-ends,nor should the flesh at their roots be allowed
to cover the white semicircle at the bottom of them.
Wlien sitting, a person should assume an easy, graceful
posture, without formality or affectation. He should sit
steadily on his chair, with the knees not too close nor too
far asunder, and the feet modestly disposed of, without
being stretched out, or drawn in so close under his chair
as to cause the knees to project ; neither should he rest
them on the rungs of the chairs, nor make a noise with
them on the floor.
V/hen standing, the feet should be turned out a little,
the heels sepai'ated somewhat from each other. They should
not be often moved from one position to another ; but the
position may, for the sake of greater ease, be occasionally
changed.
Many, in walking, drag their feet after them in a slovenly
manner ; others wallc on their toes, whilst others twirl on
their heels in a rather ludicrous manner. Although it would
be hard to prescribe methods of walking suited to all, one
general rule for young persons might be, to raise the instep
a little, which has the effect of stiffening the knee, and
placing the shoulders in a graceful position. The step
should not be too long, nor yet affectedly short. The pace
should be moderate, without any notable haste, unless the
nature of a person's occupation, or the business he has to
transact, requu'es it. Dignity of carriage and manners
should, at all times, be preserved.
In conclusion, it may be well to inculcate upon all, but
especially upon the young, the necessity of washing their
feet at stated times, and of changing their stockings when
soiled, as there is nothing more disagreeable than the con-
sequence of neglect in one or other of these particulars.
Attention to them, on the other hand, is productive of tha
most salutary effects.
r:^^<^
PART SECOND.
OF DECORIBI IN ORDINARY ACTIONS,
CHAPTER I.
RISING AND GOINGr TO REST.
Children should be deeply impi^essed with the many
advantages attending early rising. It is one of the best
economists of time ; it promotes the health of both body
and mind, and greatly assists in the formation of moral
and industrious habits. Sleej), when indulged to excess,
impairs both physical and mental energy, intei-feres with
the regular and efficient discharge of duty, and destroys
all relish for enjojonents, except those of a coarse and,
often, dangerous character. Hence, a fixed hour for rising,
and also for retiring to rest, should be appointed, from
wliich there should be no deviation, unless health or some
other necessity require it. *
The sluggai-d seldom, if ever, prospers in business or
attains any degree of eminence in his profession ; while
those who have been remarkable for a healthy old age, or
for great intellectual acquirements, have generally ac-
knowledged, that they have been in a great measure in-
debted for these advantages to their regularity in the
distribution of time and to their early rising. Seven or eight
hours' rest is as much as nature usually I'cquu'es ; and it
should be remembered, that a difference of two hours each
day in the time of rising, would in tlie ordinary avci-ageof
human life, be equivalent to nearly ten years ; and woukl,
as has been well observed, ''add ten years to a man's
really useful existence."
JMan, whatever may be his station, is born to labor. The
dawnmg of day should remind him of this appendage of
mortaUty. How often is the order of nature, subverted !
A large portion of the day is given to sleep, whilst almost
* An aged gentleman who had never known a day's illness, bavins
been asked his secret, replied : " Dry teet and eaiiu risiiH/ ; these are
ijiy "Illy t>¥0'precautious."
DRBaamo and ttntdressino. 359
the entire niglit is spent in foolish and often criinina!
itmuseraeuts, to the manilesl injury of health, and, what is
infinitely worse, the neglect of every religious duty.
The tii'st thing that should be done by a Christian on
awaking, is to make an offering of his thoughts, words,
actions, and entire being, to the great Author of his exist-
ence by a fervent act of oblation, and with faith and humil-
ity to beg his blessing and protection during the day. He
should then rise modestlj'', and never at this time converse
with others, or occupy his mind with distracting concerns.
To give the iu"st moments of the day to dissipation of mind,
would be unworthy a child of God, whose first thoughts
should be consecrated to recollection and piety.
When clothed, he should place himself on his Icnees, and
having recalled the presence of God, say devoutly his morn-
ing prayers ; nor should he ever permit either business or
amusement to interfere with so holy and essential a duty.
A Christian should never satisfy himself with a few prayers
said hurriedly while dressing. God deserves and demands
the homages of all our powers and affections. Whoever en-
tertains an exalted idea of the majesty of God, renders Him
tliis tribute with corresponding exterior and interior rev-
erence.
On retiring to rest, children should respectfully salute
their parents and the elder membci-s of the family. This
act of politeness, besides being a duty, is an excellent
means of preserving that good feeling which should subsist
in the bosom of every family, and on which its hp.ppiness
so much depends.
A Christian should never retire to rest without having
adored God by humble prayer ; thanked Him for his beii
slits ; and implored his protection. He should examine
his conscience ; beg pardon for the sins into which he has
flillen during the day ,- and firmly resolve with God's grace,
to spend the day following in a manner more worthy his
dignity of child of God and heir of his heavenly kingdom.
"The path of the just, as a shining light, goeth forwards,
and increaseth even to perfect day."'
CHAPTER II.
OF DRESSING AND UNDRESSING
One sensible effect of the sin of Adam, was the shame of
being naked ; and it was only after his sin that he felt,
for the first time, the necessity of clothmg. God provided
360 CHRISTLVX fOLlTBNBSS.
him with tbe skins of beasts as a garment, which served to
remind him of the happy state of peace and innocence from
which he had fallen. Inheritors of his crime, we are sharers
in his pmiishment. We. too, must be provided with raiment
— ^a necessity wliich never would have existed, had not
man contracted the stain of original guilt ; for, he would
have known no cause of shame, had he preserved the spot-
less purity with which he had been invested at his creation.
0ur dress, then, instead of being, as it often is, an incite-
ment to vanity, should, by reminding us of our frailty,
become the best safeguard of modesty and humility.
No person should employ another to di-ess him, unless
in case of sickness, or want of sufficient strength ; even
children, when old enough to dress themselves, should not
be permitted the assistance of others.
When a person has not to leave home or receive visits,
he may. in the house, use any convenient dress. How
excessive soever the heat of summer, it is an impropriety
CO appear before any one with tlie breast uncovered.
Hules as to the manner of dressing and undressing,
would be quite unnecessary, if persons were only attentive
to the dictates of propriety. Every liberty, it would some-
times seem, is permitted in this matter, and yet reason and
rehgion plainly tell us that all should be done orderly, and
with the strictest decorum. It is easy to perceive how
contrary it is to Christian modesty to dress or undress,
without necessity, in the presence of others.
GHA.PTER III.
DRESS.
Clothing, in regard to its quality-, form, and general ap-
pearance, should be consistent with the age and rank of
the wearer. It should at all times be strictly modest, or
never slovenly or untidy. The coat, and so forth, should be
well brushed, the shirt-collar closed and always clean, the
shoes or boots well polished : in tine, the whole exterior
should exhibit gi-eat cleanUness, neatness, and unaffected
grace.
Parents should be careful that the dress of their chil-
dren be suitable to theii- condition, and that every extrava-
gance therein be studiously avoided. A fondness for fine
clothing often leads to ruinous expense ; for, when vanity
in dress has been habitually mdulged, it is very difficult
to limit its excesses.
DKS8S. 361
Sinfrularity in dress, and in the manner of wearing it,
6hoi:il(l be carefully guarded against. The usage of the coun-
try in which you live, and of the order of society in which
you move, should guide you in the choice and form of your
clothing. You must l)e careful, however, not to conform
in all things to the customs which, at the moment, may
prevail. Fashion is often whimsical and capricious, and
should never be permitted to draw you into its follieii
and extravagances.
'' Bo not the first on whom the new is tried.
Nor yet the la~ttolay the oki aside."
Your dress should never exliibit either vanity or osten-
tation. The man who places his delight or his ambition in
sumptuous apparel, degrades, whilst he seeks to exalt
himself. That merit must be questionable indeed, which
requires to be set off by trinkets and tinery. Negligence,
on the other hand, should equally be avoided. It is usually
the eflect of sloth, and is but too often accompanied with
inattention to personal cleanliness.
The children of the poor should frequently be reminded
how necessary it is to pay due attention to cleanliness, as
a means both of preserving health, and of rendering them-
selves agreeable to those with whom they have intercourse.
The privations which they so frequently endure, and the
wretched clothes with which they are covered, together
with the miserable and inconvenient habitations in which
they dwell, render them so spiritless, that it becomes
dotibly inctunbent on their instructors, while they console
them under their trials, to make them sensible of the ad-
vantages resulting from personal cleanliness. How poorly
soever a child may be dressed, provided his person and
clothing are kept clean and in repair, and his deme.anor is
modest and unassuming, he will not fail to prepossess in
his favor every one whose good opinion is really valuable.
The hat should be in keeping with the other parts of the
dress. It shotild not be worn on the top of the head, nor
on the side, nor so low as to cover the eyes, btit straight
on the head, with the front of the leaf facmg the forehead.
It should be taken ofif with the right hand, and, if necessa-
ry for the individual to remain uncovered, it may be held
by the side, if standing; gracefully on the knees, if sitting 5
or disposed of in the nearest convenient place. In short
morning visits it is generally taken into the apartment ;
but.if it is intended that the visit be of long continuance,
362 GHRI8T1AX POLITBNBSS.
it is left in the hall or a place assigned for it. In visiting
persons of distinction, the hat is not, by persons of in-
I'erior station, generally taken into the visiting apartment.
In concludmg this chapter, it may be remarked, that an
unassu6iing simplicity in dress is that most befitting a
Christian. It will serve to remind him of the modesty by
which his whole conduct should be distmguished, and will
tend to the benefit of others, by inciting them to follow so
praisewoi'thy an example. " Let your modesty be knowa
to all meji ;'" savs the Apostle, '^ the Lord Ls nigh.
CHAPTER IV.
THE TABLE
God does not forbid the reli-^h which nature tak^.- u:
what is eaten ; but reason and religion interdict eithei'
sensuality or gluttony. " Wliether you eat or drink, or
whatever else you do, do all to the glory of God," is the
admonition of SL Paul. Necessity, then, should be the
motive of an action, which is in itself a subjection, rather
than a perfection of our nature.
Conversations, the only subject of which is eating or
drinkmg, are unworthy a rational being, much less a
Chi'istian. When such topics are mtroduced, j'^ou should be
careful not to speak of the good dimiers of which you
may have partaken, and, still less, of the tables or good
cheer to which you may have been invited.
Food is destined for the preservation of health and
strength, but every kind of excess in its use should be
avoided. He who would preserve temperance m its use,
should confine himself, as much as possible, to the ordinary
hour of meals. Food is given to children ottt of meals, but
not to adults of maturer years, whose constitution or state
of health does not stand in need of such indulgence. To
eat several times in the day, and whenever an inclination
for food is felt, besides being detrimeutal to health, may
be regarded as a species of gluttony ; and to drink, with-
out necessity, out of the time of meals, will soon lead to
habits very dangerous to sobriety. If the habit of druaking,
even water, be indulged in youth, drink of a more perni-
cious character will be freely taken at a more advanced
age.
The reproach of Jesus Christ to the Pharisees, of making
perfection consist in external observances, in which rank
THE TABLB. 363
they placed the washing of hands beiore meals, does net
dispense us IVom the duty oi' washing them befoie we sit
down to table. It is not an ordnianco of religion, but an
observance prescribed by cleanliness and propriety. In
ancient times it was usual to have a little fouxitain for this
ablution, which was made both before and after dinner.
Politeness should be adhered to, even when a person
dines alone. On such occasions he should not seek to free
himself from those ol>servances which intercourse with
civilized society requires. To do so would expose him to
contr:vct insensibly rude or unbecoming manners.
When the time arrives for sitting down to table,* ayoung
person should not seek a conspicuous place, nor that wliich
is most convenient, 1)UL should w.iit until the tirst seats
are taken by those whom age oi- station entitles to presi-
dency. If a place be assigned hmi by the host, he should
modestly accept it, satisried that he is the best judge of
the seats which his guests should occupy. If notinr:ted to
* Tho foUowiuK is from two little works on Etiquette, lately pub-
ishcd :—
In giving a person .111 invitation to dinner, it would be impolite to
say thiit lio would be treated without ceremouy. >Siich an invitation
would bo iintuvil. unless it he the only way of iniluoing the individual
to accept it; because, from tho nioiiient a per.son gives an invitation,
ho should endeavor to eutcitain his guest wuil.
Having aceopttMl an invitation, a i)crsou should take care to arrive
punctually, not tuo late, iivr yet too soon ; both would bo iuc.onveniynt.
rUo acceptance of au invitation is to be addressed to tho lady of the
hou.se-
Should your host offer you the place of honor at table, it is wrong
to refuse it. To do so, keeps the company standing, ajid is considered
very impolite.
If the places at table are marked out by cards, it is polite to .assist
other.s oftho comiiany in finding theirplaees- "When notinarkcd, the host
or the lio.>tes.s ouglit to call successively their comii.'iny to their places
accordiiiii to their dignity or age,— gentlemen and ladies in turn. The
principal places at table are tliose to the right antl loit of llio mistress ol
the house, who occui>ies the centre of the table ; then thoso otj, each
side of the m.istor of the house- (u's-ft-vt'.-.
As soon as you arc seated at table, place your table napkin across your
knees, and remove tlio roll which you may probably find withiu it to the
left side of your plate
Tho soup should be placed on the table first. Some old-fashioned
persons Btiil pH^ice soup and fish together : but " it is a cu.SL0m moro
honored in tho breach th.au tho observanio." Still more old-fashioned,
and a still v.orso taste is it to ask your guests if they will take " soup or
lish." They are a.3 much separate cour.sos as tho Itsh and the meat;
and all experienced diners take both. In any case, it is inhospitable
to iipjiearto force a choice upon a visitor wlieu that visitor, in all prob-
ability, will prefer to tako his soup first and his fish afterwards. All
well-ojdored dinners begin with soup, whether in summer or wmtor.
The lady of tho hou.'^e should help it and .^crvc it round, without asking
each individual in turn. It is as much an understood thing a.-s the bread
364 CHRISTIAN POLITENBSS.
any particular place, he should unaffectedly and silently
talce one of the last.
Much praise is due to those families who have preserved
the laudable custom of grace before and after neals._ What
can be more unbecoming a Christian than noc to invoke
the blessing of God on the food of which he is about to
partake, or not to return Him thanks for the benefits re-
ceived ! How can we forget that God is the Author of every
good ; and that to his providence we ai-e eveiy moment of
our existence indebted for his preservation and care of us ?
By a strange abuse, which cannot be too much nor too
frequently censured, we, in the very moment of making
use of the means of preserving existence, seem to forget
the beneficent hand that confers them. On no account and
on no occasion should a Chi-istian be guilty of such ingrati-
tude. Even in companies where grace is not formally
said, he may, by placing his hand on his breast, or b? mak-
ing the sign of the cross upon it, accompanied by a secret
beside each plate, and those who do not choose it, are always at liberty
to leave it untasted. , . /. . -j ^^v
In eating soup, remember always to take it from the side of the
spoon, and t"" make no sound in doing bo- ^ , -
You should never ask for a second supply of either soup or fish ; it
delays the nest course, and keeps the table waiting.
The host should never recommend or eulogize any particular dish:
the guest will take it for granted that everything at the table is excel-
. When anything is handed round the table, each should, after hand-
ing the salver to those near him, help himself promptly and without
choosing. , , , , , ,.
The master of the house should see that the dinner service pro-
ceeds with order, and that each one is attended to. He ought not
during this time reprehend the servants for any mistake : it would be
much better to call the mover and speak in a low tone if necessary
fle should never relinquish his knile and fork until his guests have
finished.
Never offer to " assist " your neighbors to this or that dish. The word
is inexpressibly vulgar— all the more vulgar for its artectation of
eleganco " Shall I send you some mutton ?" or " May I help you to
grouse"'- is bettor chosen and better bred-
As a general rule, it is better not to ask yonr guests if they will par-
take of the dishes, but to send the plates round, and let them accept
or decline as they please-
As soon as you are helped, begin to eat , or, if the viands are too hot
for your palate, take up your knife and fork and appear to begin To
wait for others is now not only an old-fashioned, but ill-bred.
Never ofiFer to pass on the plate to which yon have been helped. This
is a still more vulgar piece of politeness, and belongs to the manners of
a hundred years ago- The lady of the house who sends your plate to
you is the best judge of precedence at her own table.
In helping soup, fish, or any other dish, remember that to overfill a
plate is as bad as to supply it too scantily.
Silver fish-knives are generally to be met with at the best tables ;
but where there are none, a piece of crust should be taken in the left
THE TABLE. 36.1
elevation of the heart, comply with a duty which the lirst
dictates of gratitude and religion demand.
In sitting at table, a person should be neither too near
nor too far from it. He should not stretch back on his
chair, nor yet keep liiinsolf bent forwards ; still less, lean
his elbows on the table ; he may, however, lean Iiis wrists
upon it gently.
The napkin, usually laid at each person's iplace, is in-
tended to preserve one's clothes from being soiled, mul to
wipe the fingers and mouth when necessary. A young
person should not be in a hurry to unfold it, but rathej-
wait till others at table set the example.
In taking soup, which is the first served, the spoon should
be held in the right hand, and not filled to the brim. When
supping it, place the side of the spoon next your mouth.
Take it near the plate, and avoid speaking at the time. If
it is too hot, do not blow upon it, but let it cool.
Do not cause yourself to be served first, nor by any
sign or gesture betriy the least impatience for food.
Everything at table should be done with calmness and
moderation.
hand, and the fork in tho right. There is no exception to this rule in
eating fis-h. . , , , .u ^ ■
Wo presume it is scarcely necessary to remind the reader that ho \3
never, under any circuinstanco, to convey Lis knito to bis mouth.
Peas are eaten with the fork ; tarts, curry, and pudding.s ot all kinds
with tho spoon- , , ■, ,- ...
Always help fish with a fish-slice, and tart and puduings with a
spoon, or- if necessary, a spoon and fork.
Asparagus must be bellied with tho asparngus-tongs.
In eating asparagus, it is well to observe what others do. and act ac-
cordinglv. Some very well-bred peojilo eat it with the tingersj others
cut oil' tho heads, and convey them to tho mouth upon the fork. It
woidd be difficult to say which is the iiioro correct. ,. l u
In eating stone fruit, such as cherries, damsons, and so torth. tho
same rule had better bo observed. Some put the .stones outlrom the
mouth into a spoon, and so convey them to the plate. Others cover the
lips with the hand, drop them unseen into the palm, and so deposit
them on the side of tho plate. In our own opinion, tho last is by lar
tho better way, as it etlectually conceals the return of tho stones,
which is certainly tho point of the highest importance. One thing
certain, they must never bo droppedfrom the mouth to tho piato.
in helping sauce, alwaj-s pour it on tho side of the plate.
A silver knife and fork should bo placed to each guest at dessert.
If you are asked topiei'aio fruit for a laiy, bo careful to do so by
means of the silver knife and fork only, andnever to touch it with your
Itiswisi never to partake of any dish without knowing of what in-
gredients it 13 composed. You can always a.sk tho scivant who hands
it to vou, and you thereby avoid all dangerof having to commit the im-
politeness of leaving it, and showing that >o i do not approve ot it
Never speak while you have anything in yo'- r mouth.
Be careful never to taste soups or pudding-.Ul you are sure they are
tufficientl}' cool ; as, by disregarding this caution, you may bo com-
7t(i6 CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
When served, it is quite unnecsssary to w;iit until others
are served also ; but you should eat slowly enough that
others may have suflBcient time to finish tlieir dish at or
about the same time as yourself. As to the time of ceas-
ing to eat, the best rule is, to aim at being neither the first
nor the last.
When your spoon, knife, or fork wants cleaning, it should
be changed, and should, on no account, be wiped in the
napkin or table-cloth. The knife should be held in the
right hand, the fork in the left. They should be held by
the handle only. The knife should not be used for eating
with : use the fork or the spoon for that purpose. In eating
fish, the fork should be held in the riglit hand, and a piece
of bread in the left.
Salt should be taken only with tlie suio-spoon. The
tumbler or drinking-glass is not to be tilled to the brim.
Fragments of meat, bones, or crumbs, should never be
allowed to fall on the floor or about the talkie. Tliey should
be put on the small plate usually laid for that purpose. In
removing anything from the mouth which a jaerson does
not wish to swallow, as a fish-bone or the hke, the fingers
pelled to swallow what is dangerously hot, or be driven to the unpar-
donable alternative of returning it to j'our plate
When eating or drinliing, avoid every kind of audible testimony to
the facts.
If you should unfortunately overturn or break anything, do not
apologize for it You can show your regret in your face, but it is not
well-bred to put it into words
Should you injure a lady's dress, apologize amply, and assist her, if
possible, to remove all traces of the damage
To abstain from taking the last piece on the dish, or the last glass of
wine in the decanter, only becau.«9 it is the last, is highly ill-bred. It
implies a fear that the vacancy cannot bo supplied, and almosi, conveys
an atiront to your host. /
In withdrawing from table, the napkin should bo laid either -en
the table or on the back of the chair If a person wishes to depart
before the company separates, he should do so at oisce without the
ceremony of leave-takiug, which causes, on such occasions, an unpleas-
ant hiatus in the party
In summing up the little duties and laws of the table, a pop'.iar
author has said that— '" The chiot matter of cousidcraiion at the din-
ner-table, as, indeed, everyvvere else in the life of agcntleman -is to
be perfectly composed .and at his ease. He speaks deliberately ; he
performs the most imi)ortant act of the day as it ho were performing the
most ordinary. Yet there is no appearance oftritiing or want of gravity
in his manner ; he maintains the dignity which is so becoming on so
vital an occasion. He performs all the ceromonie.-^. yet in the siyle of one
who performs no ceremonies at all. He goes through all the compli-
cated duties of the .scene as if he were " to tlic m.uinor born.' "
'• To invite a friend to dinner,'' .^ays Brillat Savarin, •' is to become
responsible for his hapi/uiess so long- as ho is underyour rooi' " Again .
— '"he who receives friends at his table, without haviiig bestowed his
personal supervision upon tho repast pl.'iced before them, is unworlii.
to have friends." '
TABLB. 367
only should be used. It would be considered rude to cast
it from the mouth on the plate or the table.
Sauce should not be poured over fish or vegetables, but
alongside of them.
At table the following faults should be avoided : hand-
ling fruit or other viands ; sinking the finger-nails in the
rind of fruit ; wiping the plate, fork, spoon or knife \vith
the napkin ; smelling any of the food ; looking curiously,
at the plates of others ; holding the knife or fork in an
upright position, or making gestures with them.*
If a person should ever iind anything disagreeable on
• ' Tis an old saying that
" Man .=houId be taufrht as tho' you taughtbim not,
And things unknown proposed as things forgot. "
Still It will not be wholly out of place here to insert the following
piquant remarks which may, but mora probably may not, have been
made by a host to his guest :—
" Now, my friend, let us go to dinner, and I will soon tell you whether
you are a well-bred man or not ; and here let me premise that what
may be styled good manners for a small dinner may be styled good
manners for a large one, and vice versa. Now. tho first thing .vou do is
to sit down- Stop, sir ! pray do not cram yourself into the table in that
way; no, nor sit a yard from it, like that. How gr.aeelesa, inconve
nicnt, and in the way of conversation ! Why. dear mo, you are positively
putting your elbows on the table, and now you h.ave got your hand.^
fanibling about with the spoons and forks, and now you are nearly
knocking my new hock glasses over. Can't you take your hands down,
sir? Didn't you learn that in tae nursery ? Didn't your mamma say to
you, " Never put your hands above the table except to carve or eat I"
Oh 1 but come, no nonsense sit up if j-ou please I can't have your tine
head of hair forming a side dish on my table you must not bury your
face in the plate, you came to show it, and it ought to be alive. Well,
but there is no occasion to throw your head back like that, you look
like an alderman, sir, after dinner. Pray, don't lounge in that sleepy
way. You are here to eat, drink, and be merry You can sleep when
you get home
" Well, then, I suppose you can see your napkin- Got none, indeed I
Very likely, in my house. You may be sure that I never sit down to a
meal without napkins I don't want to make my tablecloths unfit for
use , and I don't want to make my trousers unwearable. Well now wo
are all seated, you can unfold it on your knees : no, no ; don't tuck it
into your waistcoat like .an alderman ; and what ! what on eartli do
you mean by wiping your forehead with if Do you take it for a towel ?
Well, never mind. I am consoled that you did not go farther, and use it
as a pocket-handkerchief. .So talk away to the lady on your right, and
wait till soup is handed to you By the way, that waiting is a most
important part of table manners, and as much as possible you should
>^void asking for any thing or helping yourself from the table. Your
soup you eat with a spoon — T don't know what else you could eat it
S68 OHIUSTIAlf POUTENESS.
his plate, iie should remove it quietly, without speaking of
it to any of the company.
When affairs oblige one to leave immediately after
dinner, he ought not disturb his host by ill-timed farewells,
or even by expressions of thankfulness, especially if he
cannot do so without interrupting the attentions wiuch the
host is occupied in paying to liia other guests.
The duties of a young person at table may be summed
up as follows : Select, if left to your choice, the lowest
place ; sit in a becoming posture at the table ; say, recoL
lectedly, the grace before and after meals ; be moderate in
with— but then it must be one of good siie- Yes, that will do, but I beg
you wjll not make that odious noiee in taking your soup. It ia
louder than a dog lapping water, and a cat would be quite genteel to it.
Then you need not scrape up the plate in that way, nor even tilt it to get
the last drop. I shall be.happy to send yon some more ; but I must
just remark, that it is not the custom to take two helpings of soup, and
it is liable to keep other people waiting, which, once for all. is a selfish
and intolerable habit. You are keepin? m>" serrant, sir. Will you, or
will you not, take turbot 7 Don't examine it in that way; it is quite
fresh, I assure you, take or decline it. Ah 1 you take it. but that is no
reason why you should take up a knife too- Fish. I repeat, must never
be touched with a knife- Take a fork in the right, and a small piece
of bread in the left hand. Good, but—? Oh I that is atrocious; of
course you must not swallow the bones, but you should rather do so
than spit them out in that way. Put up your napkin like this, and land
tbe eaid bone on the side of your plate. Don't rub your bread in the
sauce, my good man, nor go progging about after the shrimps or
oysters therein. Oh I how horrid ; I declare your mouth was wide
open and full of fish. Small pieces, I beseech you ; and once for all,
whatever you eat, keep your mouth shut, and never attempt to talk
with it full.
*• So now you have got a p3,t6. Surely you are not taking two on your
plate. There is plenty of dinner to come, and one is quite enough. Oh 1
dear me, you are incorrigible. What 1 a knife to cut that light, brittle
pastry ? No, nor fingers— never. Nor a spoon— almost as bad. Take
your fork, sir, your fork ; and now you have eaten, oblige me by wiping
your mouth and moustache with your napkin, for there is a piece of the
pastry hanging to the latter, and looking very disagreeable. Well, you
can refuse a dish if you like. There is no positive necessity for you to
take venison if you don't want it. But, at any rate, do not be in that
terrific hurry. You are noi going off by the next train- Wait for the
sauce and wait for vegetables ; but whether you eat them or not, do not
begin before every body else. Surely you must take my table for that
of a railway refreshment-room, for you have finished before the person
I helped first. Fast eating is bad for the digestion, my good sir, ard
not very good manners either. \Vhat 1 are you trying to eat meat with
a fork alone ? Oh I it is sweetbread, I beg your pardon, you are quite
risbt. Let me give you a rule,— Everything that can be cut without a
TABLE. 369
the quantity of food, and avoid all avidity in the manner
of taking it ; let there .be nothing rude or affectedly polite
m your demeanor ; be attentive to the comfort and con-
venience of others -, let your whole conduct be amiable
and obliging ; and do all quietly, silently, and without
ostentation. In fine, treat those with whom you associate
as the representatives of our Lord Jesus Christ, and you
will not be likely to fail in the kindness, courtesy, and
respect to which they are entitled.
All kinds of violent exercise immediately after dinner
are prejudicial to health, and should, therefore, be avoided.
knife, should be cut with a fork alone. Eat your vegetables therefore
with a fork. No, there is no necessity to take a spoon for peas ; a fork
in the right hand will do. What ! did I really see you put your knife
iutoyour mouth ? Then I must give you up. Once for all, and ever,
the knife is to cut, not to help with. Pray, do not munch in that noisy
manner ; chew your food well, but softly. Eat slowhi. Have you not
heard that Napoleon lost the battle of Loipsio by eating too last ? It is
a fact though. His haste caused indigestion, which made him incapa-
ble of attending to the details of the battle. You see you are the last
person eating at table. Sir, I will not allow you to speak to my servant
in that way. If they are so remiss as to oblige you to ask for anything.
do itgently, andin alow tone, and thank a servant just as much as
you would his master- Ten to one he is as good a man ; and because
he is your inferior in position, is the very reason you should treat him
courteously. Oh I it is of no use to ask me to take wine ; far from
pacifying me, it will only make me more angry, for I tell you the custom
is quite gone out, ex«ept in a few country villages, and at a mess-table.
However, there is this consolation, if you should ask any one to take
wine with you, he or she cannot refuse, so you have your own way.
Make yourself more agreeable; you did not come merely to e.at Don't
sit as glum as the Memnon at Thebes ; talk and be pleasant. Now,
you have some pudding. No knife— no \ no\ A. spoon if you like, but
better still, a fork. Yes, ice requires a spoon ; there is a small one
handed you, take that.
" Say no." That is the fourth time wine has been handed to you,
and I am sure you have had enough. Decline this time if you please.
Decline that dish too. Are you going to eat of everything that is
handed ? I pity you if you do. No, you must not ask for more cheese,
and you must eat it with your forlc Break the rusk with your lingers.
Good. You are drinking a glass of old port. Do not quafl'it down at a
gulp in that way. Never drink a whole glassful of anything at once.
Well, here is the wine and dessert. Take whichever wine yeu like,
but remember you must keep to that, and not change about. Well,
the dinner has done you good, and mo too. You will come out
admirably at your next dinner with all my teaching.
S70 0HK13T1AN POLITENESS,
CHAPTER V.
VISITS.
Justice, as well as chai'ity, requires that we visit our
relations and friends, when they are sick, afflicted or
placed in embarrassing circumstances. We should also
visit in their trials, those with whom we may have had any
misunderstanding, if we reasonably believe that our visit
will be acceptable. The Gospel makes it an imperative
duty to love our enemies ; and at what time can we so
meritoriously comply with this duty, as when they are
laboring under afflictions ? Even pagans regarded it as a
virtue becoming the exalted dignity of man, to do good to
those who injured them.
. Justice requires that we visit our superiors also at suit-
able times, in order to testify the respect and confidence
which they have a right to expect from us. Charity de-
mands that we visit our inferiors, to edify or instruct
them ; or to console and render them such assistance as
their wants may requhe,
In all our visits we should unitate the example of Jesus
Christ, our divine Master and our Model. If he entered
the house of Zaccheus, it was to bring salvation to that
house ; if he visited Martha and Mary, it was to snatch
from the arms of death the brother whom they loved ; if
he offered to go to the house of the centurion, it was to
effect a miraculous cure. Thus, all the visits of our divine
Savior were accompanied with deeds of beneiicence.
He is our model : hence, our visits should neither be idle
nor useless. If no other evil attended them, save wast«
of that inestimable treasure, time ; this alone should be a
sufficient inducement to all who value it, prudently to
abstain from them.
Visits which are made through ceremony, or for <^^he
purpose of amusement, should be short and not consume
the time destined for business. Nor should visits be made
at the hour of meals, or at inconvenient hours, as such
may derange moro or less the previous arrangements of
the parties visited. People who have little to occupy their
own time, very frequently and very unreasonably trespass
on the time of others, and thus render themselves trouble-
some by their long and unseasonable visits. Congratula-
tory visits should be made shortly after the event.
On arriving at a house, a person should not announce
himself with a louil knocking at the door, nor by speaking
VISITS. 371
in a loud toiie of voice. Rapping iit the door .should be done
gently, yet so as to ho distinctly heard. A boll should not
be rung with violence ; and there should be left, between
the lirst and second time a person raps or rings, a suffi-
cient interval for the opening of the door.
A pei'son should not enter an apartment without giving
notice in some way or other, even though the door be
open. A slight knock will, generally, suffice.
While standing in a hall, it is exceedingly improper to
sing, whistle, speak loud, touch the furniture, or gaze
through the windows.
If, on entering an apartment, you find the person you
visit engaged with others, you should not interrupt him, but
remain at a distance until he is disengaged. If invited to
any particular seat, it should be thankfully accepted.
The tone, language, and manners of a young person,
during his visit, sliould be modest, respectful, and engag-
ing. With superiors, he should be careful to avoid famil-
iarity on the one hand, and too much ceremoniousness on
the other ; the one might be considered obtrusive, the
other might embarrass.
Care should be taken not to prolong a visit beyond the
time which politeness, or the business we have to transact,
necessarily requires. You should sit while the person visited
sits, and rise when he rises. His rising from his chair should
be regarded as a signal for your dejoarture, and you should
never remain one moment longer than he seems to desire.
It is no small mark of politeness, and indeed of prudence,
to know the exact time at whichyour company ceases to be
agreeable.
It is a great incivility to give unnecessary delay to jj^our
visitors. U'occupied, you should send some person to receive
them, and pay them the necessary attentions, until such
lime as you may be disengaged.
When a person cannot remain with his visitors as long
as civility would dictate, he might, alter a short conversa-
tion, beg leave to retire, without even concealing that he
was at that moment seriously engaged with business, wliich
would not admit of postponement.
You should receive your visitors with frankness and cord-
iality, during their stay manifest an interest in their con-
versation, and, at their departure, accompany them to the
door. Dignitaries and public functionaries are dispensed
from this last ceremony, the nature of their I'espective du-
ties requiring so much of their attention.
372 CHRISTIAN POLITBKESS.
CHAPTER VI.
RECREATION.
Recreation should occupy some portion of each day, in
Older to unbend the mind after serious application, or to
relieve tho body after fatiguing employment. God, sensible
of the weakness of man's nature, authorizes the relaxation
necessary for the reparation and maintenance of that
strength, which occupations of long continuance always
tend to weaken.
The consecration of the seventh day after the creation,
is a hgure of the repose after labor, which man is privileged
to enjoy. Our blessed Lord himself interrupted his labo-
rious mission to procure his Apostles a short but necessary
respite ; and the faithl'ul, while they were yet animated
by the holy fervor which the visible presence of our Lord
had excited, devoted certain times to joy and relaxation ;
but their joy' was pure without alloy ; then- repose partook
in nothing of that effeminacy, slothfulness, and deucacy,
by which latter ages have been so discreditably distin-
guished.
The amusements of a Christian should be regulated by
necessity, and should never transgress the bounds of mod-
eration.
Conversation forms the most oi-din»ry recreation after
meals. It should be cheerful, without levity, and useful
without either seriousness or ostentation. You may bugh.
indeed, for there is a time for laughter, but that laughtei
should be moderate and discreet. To laugh loudly is rude
to laugh without reason is folly ; and to laugh at every
thing indiscriminately is levity and the height of impru
dence. You should never turn into ridicule any of the
company, in order to amuse yourself or others at their ex
pense. To do so would be contrary to the dictates of relig
ion, good nature, and ordinary propriety.
Religion, its ministers, ceremonies, and practices, should
nhvays be spoken of with great respect and veneration.
The faults of an ecclesiastic, whether real or imaginary,
should never be made the subject of conversation. The
noble sentiments of the Emperor Theodosius ought to be
ever present to our mind : '' Were I to see an ecclesiastic
comnait a fault even, I would instantly conceal it beneath
my royal maifttle."
It manifests a great degree of ill-nature, and a great
want of charity, to laugh at the mental or bodily defects
RECREATION. 373
of Others. We should remember that we ourselves are lull
of imperfections, and that our defects, if not exactly simi-
lar to those we ridicule, may, perhajps, be more really dis-
creditable. In ridiculing others, people very often only
expose their own iailings. An uncharitable jest may indeed
excite laughter ; it can never be the object of admiration,
Walking is another species of amusement, and one thai
contributes much to the preservation of health. In walking,
the most respectable person should be placed in the mid-
dle. If there are only two, he should be placed on the
right ; but when walking in the streets, the person whom
you wish to respect, should be placed next the houses.
A gentleman in going up stairs with ladies, should precede
them ; in coming down, they should precede him.
Some young persons, when walking abroad, laugh loudly
and almost in the f:ices of those they meet. What can be a
clearer mark of a thoughtless mind, or of an ill-regulated
heart ? A person of good sense would have a mora exalted
idea of what is due to his own dignity, and to that of his
fellow-beings, than to yield to such laillbonery. Others
speak in the streets in a loud voice, as if to attract the
attention of the passers-by. This is folly and vanity. The
tone of the voice should, at all times, l)ut jjarticularly in
the streets, or in mixed society, l^e modoi-nte, not attract-
ing the notice oi- distui'bing the conversation of others.
Singing is an amusement agreeable to oui'selvos and to
those with whom we associate. The Apostle St. Paul, in two
of his Epistles, admonishes Christians to sing psalms and
hymns to the glory of the Lord, and to let the heart cor-
respond with the tones of the voice, because- they arc the
praises of the Most High. How desinible that Christians
should set to music the words of pious songs, and the
psalms and canticles whicli have been ti'anslated into the
vernacular language, and sing them occasionally ! It would
be a great means of preserving within them the spirit of
piety, and of cheering them under the trials to which this
life is subject.
Much gesture in singing belongs only to actors. In pri-
vate company, the manner of the singer should harmonize
with the words and the intonations of his voice ; and wliile
he is careful to avoid everything violent or affected, he
should not remain motionless as a statue.
374 aafiiSTiAN pnt.ypHNKsaL
CHAPTER VII.
CONVERSATIONS.
Persons who live in the world, are, by the nature of hu-
man affairs, obliged to see and converse frequently with
one another. Our conversations, whether of necessity or
of amusement, should always be maiked by discretion,
modesty, and decorum.
We should, according to the advice of the wise man,
weigh our words with weights of gold ; and as we attach
great value to that metal, and use it with economy, so, like-
wise, should we weigh well the words which we utter,
and not use them either extravagantly or imprudently.
The good and upright heart suggests pure and virtuous
language, while the mouth of the corrupt utters words of
death.
Conversation, besides the pleasure which it affords, is
one of the easiest and most natiu-al means of acquiring
information. It makes us acquainted with men and their
opinions, and with much tliat is useful respecting the
transactions and business of the world and the various
motives of action by which it is directed and governed
We learn many things which might otherwise escape oui
observation ; and by imparting to us the opinions and sen
timents of others, it enables us to form a standard by
which we may estimate our own. By the mutual inter
change of thought which conversation affords, wo add to
our stock of information, and make even our recreations
contribute to our improvement.
But notwithstanding these manifest advantageSj conver-
sation is also productive of very serious evils, as there is
nothing in which men permit themselves so much levity
and indiscretion. " The tongue, though a little member,
is a world of iniquity :" '* He who offends not by
word, is a perfect man."* David himself prayed that a
!i;uarcl might be placed upon his mouth, to preserve him
IVom the excesses of the tongue. How necessary, then,
to make ourselves acquainted with the rules .by which it
should be regulated.
•'e'-
St. JameB, iii.
TRUTH. 375
SECTION 1.
TRUTH.
Truth is the first quality that should characterize our
language. On no account should a person utter a false-
hood, or be guilty of the least dissimulation or duplicity.
The holy old man Eleazar preferred death to dissimulation ;
and St. Cyprian would not allow his life to be preserved at
the expense of truth. The oai'ly life of the immortal Geo.
Washington presents an admu-able example of the love of
truth ; the incident is too well known to require repetition
here. A lie is always sinful and degrading ; and children,
in consequence of not reflecting on the evils resulting from
a habit of lying, but too often become familiar with dis-
simulation— a vice the more dangerous, as in them it
frequently disguises itself under the appearance of modesty.
'■' The life of the liar shall be without honor ; confusior
shall cover his face." The Prophet David admonishes
that, if our days would flow happily, we must be_ careful
not to contract this pernicious and disgraceful habit.
The liar is guilty of many indiscretions, hurtful both to
hmiself and his neighbor ; and if, to save his honor, com-
promised by a falsehood, it be necessary to jom periidy
with folly, he hesitates not. Tho secrets of his friend ara
revealed ; the interests or character of a neighbor, sacri-
ficed : and what follows ?— his perfidiousness is _ soon
detected, his reputation tarnished, all confidence in his
integrity destroyed ; and, if any of his friends are found
who continue to confide in him, we may reasonably ques-
tion their prudence or their sincerity.
Equivocations deserve severe condemnation, because
they confound truth with falsehood, and are used for the
purpose of shielding the liar from merited i-eproach. They
are a species of falsehood, equally proscribed by upright-
ness, good manners, and the spirit -of the Gospel.
We should never relate news as true, without being well
assured of its accuracy. If it is doubtful, we should men-
tion it as such, and no attempt to add to its interest by
false or improbable narrations.
In a solemn inquiry, once held by Cardinal Colonna, the
word of the youthful Petrach was as satisfactory to his
Eminence as the sworn testimony of the other domestics,
because, from his childhood, he was known to have had a
sincere regard for truth, and an utter abhorrence of false-
hood. "As to you Petrach, " said the- Cardinal, "you
376 CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
need not swear ; your word suflBces." Hence, the advan
tage of a habit of truthfulness ; but, to acquire this habit.
one should make it an inviolable rule to sjjeak the truth
with all sincerity, on even the most trivial occasion.
We should be exceedingly careful to i-edeem, in due
time, the promises we may have made : for few things
render a man more contemptible than rejjeated breaches
of fidelity to his word. If, however, honor and good breed-
ing require this fidelity, prudence equally requires that we
never make promises \vithout having duly considered their
consequences, and guarded against the inconvenience and
embarrassment which too great a facility in promising so
often occasions.
As good faith and mutual confidence should be at all
times the soul of conversation, we should never, even in
jest, use disguise or dissimulation.
SKGTiON II.
MEANS OF RENDERING CONVERSATION AGREEABLE
To profit by conversation, you must guard against absence
of mind and inattention to what is said, and must treasure
up every sentiment and opinion worth preserving ; while,
to render your conversation agreeable to others, you must
have your mind well stored with ideas, particularly on
those subjects which form the ordinary topics of discouree
in society. You must also possess a ready command of
appropriate language. To this must be added a certain
gracefulness of dehvery, without which your opinions, how-
ever just, and though couched in the most elegant lan-
guage, will lose much of their value, and fail to excite that
interest to which they may be intrinsically entitled.
Con-ect pronunciation, grammatical construction of sen
tences, suitable gestures, earnestness without vehemence,
and a certain ease and sweetness, blended with a calm and
modest dignity, contribute materially to enforce our opin-
ions, and transfuse our sentiments into the minds and
hearts of our hearers.
Few, it is said, possess all that constitutes the correct
and agreeable speaker ; but every one can, by reading,
obsarvation, and reflection, joined with the desu'e of ren-
dering himself agreeable, considerably improve his con-
versational powers, and become a welcome member of
eveiy company which his station in society permits liuiLto
Miter.
PROFANE AND CNOHAEITAULB LANGUAaS. 377
Conversation is sometimes rendered dull and uninterest-
ing, through the absence of suitable and pleasing subjects.
On going into company, a person should make choice of a
few, which, under such circumstances, he may be enabled
to introduce. He might also supply himself with a few
appropriate anecdotes. These should be short, have con-
nection with the previous remarks, and be suited to the
company and tone of conversation. When a subject has
once been mooted, and seems to excite general interest,
another should not be proposed until that under considera-
tion is exhausted, or ceases to attract attention. Should
no other he then brought forward, he may propose one.
Another method of enlivening convoi'sation, and one
which in the domestic circle would be exceedingly valu-
able, is for one person to read a paragraph or two from a
book, continuing until some opinion or sentiment elicits
remark, and becomes the subject of disaourse. The read-
ing should then be discontinued, its object having been
attained. Should the conversation again grow dull, the
"reading may be resumed until a similar effect is reproduced.
Conversations of hours' continuance, and ofa very improv-
ing character, have frequently been known to originate in
such expedients.
Some i^ortion of the conversation will always, by a per-
son really polite, be addressed individually to each mem-
ber of the company. Tliis tends to keep alive the interest
of all. and to compliment each by the attention which is
paid him.
You should be reserved in the company of those with
whose character, profession, or circumstances in life you
are unacquainted, lest you say anything calculated to wound
or give offence. Several very disagreeable and embarrass-
ing incidents have occurred through want of this precau
tion. When once introduced to a person, you should en-
deavor not to forget his name, that, in any future inter-
view, you may know how to address him.
SECTION III.
PROFANE AND UNCHARITABLE LANPtUAGE.
Persons are sometimes to be met with who make a boast
of their incredulity and irrehgion. Tlie word of God itself
does not escape their infamous raillery. The society of such
should be shunned: for. asrst, Paul says, '"evil communi-
cations corrupt good morals.'" The state of such nominaJ
178 OHBISTIAN POLITRXKSS.
Christians is truly deplorable ; for they glory in their sin,
and make the holy things of God the objects of their rib-
aldry.
Oaths, blasphemies, and imprecations should not only
be banished from conversation, but the company of those
who utter them cautiously shunned. There are other ex-
pressions, too, though not equally criminal, from which you
should carefully abstain ; such as using on every occasion,
and without due respect, the holy namo of God, forms of
expression resembling oaths, &c. The profound reverence
which every Chi-istian should have for that almighty Being
who made and governs the universe, cannot tolerate the
thoughtlessness and levity with which his holy name is so
often pronounced. Such levity leads to indifference, and
often ends in habitual profaneness. It is unnecessaiy to
add, that conversations which tend in the slightest degree,
either directly or indirectly, to wound Christian modesty,
should neither be used nor tolerated. A virtuous person
would shudder at the very thought of hearkening to such
discourse.
It is contrary to trvie politeness, as well as to Christian
charity, to speak Ul of your neighbors. Slander, although
unhappily so common in discourse, is not less crimmal,
nor less an indication of a base and envious soul, replete
with bitterness, revenge, or malignity. To repeat what you
have heard from the mouth of the slanderer is very crimi-
nal. We should view the matter in question in the most
favorable light ; beheve there must have been some mis-
take ; and remain silent when you cannot possibly excuse.
To "do to others as you would wish they should do to
you," is a maxim containing all that is necessary to guide
your conduct relative to your neighbor's reputation — a
maxim often repeated, but seldom acted upon.
You should abstain from injurious or humiliating com-
parisons. It is impolite and unfeeling to say that such or
such a one is lame, himipb.acked, and so forth, in the pres-
ence of persons who may be afficted with a siuiilar deform-
ity. You should be still more cautious not to upbraid
those with whom you converse, with the faults or follies
to which they may have yielded, or with the disgraceful cir-
cumstances in which they may have been placed. Every in-
jurious or contemptuous word is opposed to the injunctions
of om- blessed Lord, who declares that he who says, to his
brother, " thou fool," Ls deservmg of hell-fire. Irony, too,
in addressing others, or speaking of them, should not bo
indulged in ; and mimicry should be altogether avoided.
DISCRETION IN THE USB OF WORDS. 379
" Mimicry, the favorite amusement of little minds, has
ever been the contempt of. great ones. Never be guilty of
it yourself, nor encourage it in others. It is the most illib-
eral of all buflfoonery. It insults the person you mimic,
t.nd insults are seldom forgotten."
If jesting be permitted, it. should never be applied to
holy things or to natural defects; nor should it attack rep-
utation, merit, or the memory of the dead. It may,
indeed, be innocent, and. no doubt, often is ; but to be
such, with how many precautions must it not be accom-
paxied 1 lb is so diflficult to jest without violating both
cha/ity and politeness, that it would be well that jesting
were altogether banished from society; moreover, when
the habit of jesting is once formed, politeness, the feel-
ings, and even the reputation of others, are too often sac-
riiiced to its indulgence. The habitual jester is generally
dishked. He often excites merriment, but seldom, if ever,
admiration.
SECTION IV.
DISCRETION IN THE USE OF WORDS.
To speak indiscreetly, is to speak without reflection on
every subject that presents itself, to speak when you
should be silent, or to utter fooUsh or extravagant things.
Those who speak much, are generally inconsiderate in
theii' language ; the desire of speaking causes them to
deal out fooleries ; and it rarely happens that much talk
is not attended with many faults. A restramt should be
placed on the tongue if you have not sufficient understand-
ing to comprehend what is said, or know not what to
reply. You should observe the times in which you may,
without indiscretion, join in the conversation ; for it is levity
and imprudence to express your ideas every time you feel
an impulse to do so. All your words should, as the Apostle
advises, be accompanied with grace and seasoned with
wisdom. In fine, you should speak only of what you
know, and be silent as to matters of which you are igno-
rant. Besides, it should be remembered, that conversa-
tion does not consist in mere talk.
To listen discreetly, avoiding whatever would betray
absence of mind or inattention, is a matter of no small
importance. The most refmed and agi-eeable compliment
you can pay to others, is to appear interested in what they
380
CHRISTIAN rOLITKNESS-
say. The best rule for young persons in society is toTisteu
a great deal ; to speak but little, and that little always
to the purpose. The babbling of a young man is exceed-
ingly indecorous. How siUy to vent the thoughts inces-
santly in useless words !
Avoid the use of long paraphrases in saying what might
be concisely expressed ; or iuvolving the principal object
in a number of irrelevant incidents.
Talking of yourself in company is an impertinence.
Your affairs are nothing to them, nor can they be kept
too secret. As to the affairs of others, what are they to
you ? In talking of matters that no way concern you, you
are liable to commit blunders ; and should you wound
any one's feelings, you may possibly lose his esteem. It is
an intolerable vanity in a person to praise liimself, or to
contrast himself or his conduct with the person or conduct
of any individual. Those airs, too, of presumption and
self-sufficiency, which are so frequently assumed for the
purpose of impressing others with an idea of one's im-
portance, defeat their own object, and excite the ridicule
or contempt of those who are constrained to witness them.
"Let another praise thee, not thy own mouth,'" says Solo-
mon ; ".a stranger, not thy own lips. " A man who praises
himself, shows clearly that he is undeserving of praise.
But, though silent in regard to himself, he-sliould not
be silent respecting the virtue and merit of others, taking
care, however, to banish from his commendation every
thing savoring of adulation and flattery. The praises
bestowed upon you should be received with modesty and
thankfulness. It would be foUy to get into ill-humor with
those from whom you receive applause, particularly if it
were merited by any action, the natural goodness of which
you could not well conceal.
There are some who take offence at the praises bestowed
on others, or endeavor to derogate from them by allusion
to their foibles and weaknesses. You should never be
guilty of this fault; you should rather add, if in your
power, to the praises bestowed. If you cannot speak well
of the individual in question, you ought to be silent re-
garding him, unless justice or charity evidently require
you make known your opinion of him.
You should not speak either of the present or the ab
Bent in terms of excessive praise ; neither should we, from
a desu-e of commending any one, offend against truth. U
our relations are praised for any good qualities they may
possess, or any good deed they may have performed, we
TUE IMPOKTUNATE AND CONTKNTIOUS. 381
should modestly testify our gratitude, but not indulge our
vanity by adding to their praises.
We should not, on seeing a thing for the first time, give
vent to our feelings by extravagant exclamations of sm"-
prise or admiration. As a general rule, we ought to be
reserved and moderate in awarding praise ; and should
appreciate things according to then real value, that our
esteem and praise of them may be consistent with the rules
of prudence and discretion.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE IMPORTUNATE AND CONTENTIOUS.
Nothing can be more insipid and disagreeable than the
conversation of those importunate talkers, who put ques-
tions continually on the most trifling things, or on those
of which they should remain ignorant. We should never
put direct questions to a person when we have reason to
think he would feel a delicacy in answering them. Even
inquiries relative to health should be made in an indirect
form, so as to leave the individual at liberty to give such a
reply as suits his inclination.
There is another description of rude and troublesome
persons — travellers, who speak of nothing but their adven-
tures, the countries tlu-ough which they have travelled,
the real or pretended dangers they have encountered ;
continuing to repeat the same circumstances a hundred
limes over. Another class, at every phrase, ask, " Do you
understand ?" This is exceedingly rude. They should finish
what they have to say, and then, if they perceive that they
have been misunderstood, they should repeat it. Every
speaker should articulate distinctly, and abstain from the
use of obscm-e, ambiguous, or equivocal expressions.
It is an act of politeness briefly to mention the subject
of conversation to those who enter a company. You should
not interrupt him who speaks, but wait calmly until he
has finished what he had to say, and then reply ; neither
should you be the first to answer a question not particularly
addressed to you, until you shall have given to others suf-
ficient opportunity of replying.
It would be unpardonable rudeness to say of a subject
in debate, " It is not true ;" " You do not imderstand
the matter ;'' •' I have my own opinion still ;" and so forth.
A polite person would say : ''I think you must have been
misinformed as to the facts ;" " It may possibly be a mis-
S82 CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
take ;" " I thought it was otherwise," or some observa.
tion of a similar cliaracter. He might also let the matter
rest, or change the subject of discourse, unless duty or
chai'ity require that he maintain his opinion.
If tlie views of an individual differ from those of every
member of a company, he should be silent, or state his
opinions with great modesty, but should not obstinately
defend them. He may also state his reasons for holding
those opinions, but he should never betray obstinate at-
tachment to them. The fact of their being thus generally
opposed, is not, certainly, a decided proof of then* inaccu-
racy, but is at least a strong presumptive argument why
he should mistrust them.
The Apostle St. Paul admonishes his disciple, St. Timo-
thy, to avoid all dissensions. The spuit of contention is
directly opposed to the meekness so strongly recommended
in the Gospel. It is equally contrary to the spirit and usages
of polite society. Disputes sprmg from presumption,
and from the false idea which people entertain of their
own merit and ability. Some persons dispute about every
thing. When any one expresses an opinion, this is to them
the signal for argument. How odious and desjiicable ! The
only mode of deahng with such characters is to be silent,
or to avoid their company. To oppose them is to add fuel
to the fire, and supply them with materials for contention.
A wise and prudent man will never contend with such
persons.
You should never oppose the opinions of others without
solid reasons, nor should you enter into an argument merely
to gratify the desire of disputing. When obliged to argue,
you should do so with all possible sweetness, ever remem-
bering the words of the wise man, that sweet words multi-
ply friends and conciliate enemies. You should, in the fii'st
instance, express how far you agree with the opinions just
advanced, and show great reluctance to refuse yom- entii'e
assent. You should then politely, and in language and
manner perfectly inoffensive, state the reasons of your dis-
sent, carefully abstaining from all airs of superiority, and
never indulging in the glory of a triumph.
You have been told of a person of dignified station, that
when he feels it his duty to oppose the opinions, even of
his inferiors, he first considers calmly what each has said,
pointing out every thing that appears to be reasonable,
and, having done full justice to every opinion, he then
politely introduces his own. This amiable condescension,
whilst it gives weight and authority to liis decisions, inspires
0OMPLIMENT3. 883
sontiments of respect, veneration, and love. He whose
sole object- is to establish or vindicate truth, is amply re-
quited when that object is attained.
You should not interrupt another while speaking, in
order to comment on what he narrates, or render it less
ambiguous or inaccurate. If you have any observations to
offer, you maj^, of course,do so, but not until he has finished.
He who finds that he has defended an erroneous opinion,
or committed a mistake in the recital of a narration, should
never hesitate to acknowledge his error. He should receive
with candor and gratitude ■ the corrections which may be
made, and nevei'^take oflfence at observations tending to
set him right.
GH-VPTER IX.
COJIPLIMENTS.
GompUments, to be really valuable, must be the fruit of
sincerity and good feeling, free from coldness or indiffer-
ence, on the one hand ; and from flattery and adulation on
the other.
•' 'Tis an old maxim in the schools,
That flattery's the food of fools "
Some, in pajdng a compliment, do it in so awkward a
manner, that they frequently excite pain when they intend
to give pleasure.
Compliments should be well-timed, suited to the person
and to the occasion, and should be seldom offered directly,
but, as much as possible, by inference, by either a hint or
a comparison. In compliments of condolence on the death
of a dear relative, or the loss of a considerable property or
law-suit, much should not be said on the cause of the
affliction. You should, by gradually withdrawing the mind
to other objects, or by the dehcate introduction of some
consoling reflections, alleviate the mental anguish which
the sufferer is enduring.
The maxim of the wise man, that we should not praise
a man before his death, does not moan that we are never
to use compliments, nor utter words of commendation. It
merely intimates that we should measure well the praises
we bestow, for they, but too frequently, serve as mere
incentives to the gratification of vanity.
Compliments dictated by artiiice or adulation should
never be offered, for they bespeak a deceitful heart. Affeo
tation in the manner of giving them should likewise be
S84 CHRISTIAN POLITEITESS.
avoided. Your whole manner should be so faithful an
expression of the sentiments you utter, as to Irave no room
to doubt of their sincei'ity.
The person to whom a compliment is paid, should
accept it unaffectedly and thankfully, without manifest-
ing any very great satisfaction, or yet beti-aying the least
symptom of indifterence.
It may here be remarked, that your language should, on
all occasions, be pure, simple, and intelligible — free from
foreign, obsolete or vulgar phrases-. If a chaste, correct,
and beautiful style of speaking be acquired in early life,
it may easUy be retained ever after ; but negligence or
indifference in youth, either in the choice of words, or the
manner of arranging them, will not, without much diffi
culty, be overcome in riper years. A person remarkable
for the accuracy and elegance of his expressions, being
asked by a friend how he had attained so valuable an ac-
quisition, replied, that from his boyhood he had accustomed
himself to speak correctly, and that it had now become
quite natural, and required no efibrt whatever. He con-
cluded by saymg, that to speak incorrectly, would, he
beheved, cost him as much pain, as it would a negligent
speaker to express himself with accuracy and propriety.
" Choose that which is best ; custom will I'ender it easy
and agreeable."
CHAPTER X.
ON READING.
Havmg in a preceding chapter alluded to the necessity
of possessing a store of useful knowledge, we shall now
speak of the means by which that knowledge is to be
acquired. Much valuable information may be obtained by
conversation itself, if you only know how to select compan-
ions, to listen with attention to what is said, and to lead
the person with whom you converse, to the subject in
which he is most interested, or with which, from his sta-
tion, circumstances, or the direction of his studies, he must
be best acquainted. This, however, is not always easilj
effected ; but books, observation, and reflection, togethei
with occasional lectures on the subject with which you
desire to be acquainted, will soon put you in possession of
a large fund of information, wliich, by industry, may be
daily augmented.
ON READING. 3P5
Of all the rftcreatioriK that can be enjoyed, or the soui^cef
of knowledge to which a young person may have success,
books are, doubtless, the most innocent and valuable. No
da3' should pass without jji'oiiting of the advantages which
they ailbrd. Your observation may be limited ; your oj)
portunities of conversation few ; your circle of intelligent
friends small ; but books are always available. By them
you are made acquainted with events that have occurred
in the remotest times and most distant places ; with the
ophiions and sentiments of the wise of every generation ;
with the rise and faU of states, and the causes wliich have
^acihtated their progress or decline ; with the discoveries
of science at every period of its liistory ; and the lives of
mdividuals, who, by their abilities, prudence, or industry,
have I'aised themselves to eminence in their respective
professions. By them, too, you are made acquainted with
the history of religion in each successive age ; with her
glorious triumphs over the enemies that have assailed her;
with the actions of her illustrious children, who elt-viting
themselves above the interests of this perishable uorld.
aspired to the glory of an eternal kingdom, leaving us ui
the remembrance of tlieir viilue and its rewards, a power
ful incitement to imitate their example, tliatwemay, hei-e-
after, be made partakers of their happiness. By books, in
line, you receive light, instruction, and amusem<Mit, en-
riching your mind with the labors of those wlio have gone
before us, and making your knowledge of their actions a
guide to direct your own. The love of reatling should,
then, be fondly cherished, and some book kept always
near at hand, to which your leisure moments may be prof-
itably devoted.
Additional prolit may be derived from reading by tak-
ing extracts from the books you read, or ag;'in by writing
down the name of the book and noting its principal
pages, that you may refer to them from time to time. An
author has said that to read without writing is to be guilty
of downright folly.
The lirst and most important of all kinds of knowledge
is that of religion. A young person sliould remember, that
all his efforts in this world should tend only to the attain-
ment of happiness in a higher sphere of enjoyment ; and
that all his acquired knowledge is l)Ut a fauit, transient
gleam, when contrasted witli that flood of light wliich shall
be poured in upon his mind in that celestial dwelling where
he shall see God face to face, and in that blissful vision
etsmally rejoice. He should, therefore, be well acquainted
186 CHRISTIAN POLITHKESS.
with the truths of religion, and the reasoi^ <),a which they
are based, that he may possess sufficient evidence of the
truth for the perfect satisfaction of his own inind ; be pre-
pared to give, on all iitting occasions, an account of the
faith that is in him ; and be proof against the railleries
of the scoffer and the sneers of the infidel. Nor should he
confine his religious knowledge to the doctrines of the
Church alone ; lie should, by the daily reading of some
practical, religious book, learn how to regulate his con-
duct ; and should endeavor to keep alive in liis heart, that
spirit of piety and devotion, which intercourse with the
world and the hurry of business are too apt to weaken.
A young person, on leaving school, was placed in an
office, in which conversations dangerous to faith and morals
were of daily recurrence. In some instances he was directly
and openly attacked for what were impiously designated
the absurdities of his belief. Fortunately for him, he had
been well instructed in the truths of religion, and had,
from childhood, been obedient to its dictates. His faith
remained firm and his morals untamted in circumstances so
trying, that one less instructed, or less virtuous, might, in
all probability, have yielded to their influence. He is now
placed in a respectable position in society, and has been
amply rewarded, even in this world, for his fidelity to the
rshgious principles, of which he gave this early proof.
The next kind of information which a young man should
seek, is that which immediately concerns his trade or pro-
fession, because a thorough knowledge of his business,
when combined with an upright character, is the surest
means of attaining comfort and independence. To this, how-
ever, he should not confine himself. He should also en-
deavor to enlarge his mental sources of enjoyment, by the
acquisition of a liberal shm-e of literary and scientific knowl-
edge. What a vast source of innocent and rational pleas-
m'es is thus laid open beioro liini ! As soon as he has ac-
quu^ed the principles of science, and imbil»e(l a taste for th(?
beauties of literature, he cannot view ;i Iniildiug, look up
to the heavens, or open a book, without expciiencing a
delight, wliich, in a state of ignorance, he would never
enjoy.
It is to be regretted that young persons do not more
generally appreciate the advantages of an early acquisition
of knowledge. They waste time at the very period when it
can be most profitably employed ; when information may
be acquired, and habits of study formed, which would pro-
mote their welfare and happiness in after-life. They canr*ot
THB OHOIOB OF BOOKS. 38\
be too often reminded, that youth is the time in wliich
knowledge can most easily be acquired ; that what is then
'earned, is always the longest retained ; and that the con-
stant occupation ol" the mind in early years is, with the
grace of God, one of the best preservatives of that pure
morality without which neither wealth, station, nor intel-
lect, can confer either happiness or genuine respectability.
Parents and masters, often discourage reading, under
the pretext that it interferes with business. If the love of
books degenerates into a passion, and if that time is spent
in reading which should be devoted to the duties of one's
calling, then such discouragement is perfectly rational ;
but when reading is confined to the hours not allotted to
business, and that the boo]?:s read are safe and unobjection-
able, what amusement can possibly be so harmless, nay, so
useful? How many by reading have been considerably
assisted in their trade or profession, and have thus laid the
foundation of their future fortune I
A working carpenter has been known, who, having re-
ceived a very limited education in his youth, rose every
morning at an early houi", and, after morning prayer, de-
voted the time which intervened between that and the
u&ual hour of work, to studies connected with his trade,
such as geometry, drawing, mechanics, and so forth. In a
few years he, by his superior knowledge, raised- himself to
a state of compai'ative respectability, and in some time
after, without in the least interfering with his ordmary avo-
cations, he acquired so large a fund of valuable information,
as to obtain fr'om those who knew him, a high character
for intelligence.
• CHAPTER XL -(supplementary)."
ON THE CHOICE OF BOOKS.
In nothing, perhaps, does a young person stand more in
need of a judicious and an intelligent friend, than in the
selection of books. On the choice made of them, depends
the good or evil of which they may be productive. A great
number of modern books contain gross misstatements re-
garding some of the most important events of our own and
former times ; whilst a still greater number are replete wi fch
such anti-christian and u-religious sentiments, that, to read
them, is to expose faith and morals to the most inaminent
388 CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
peril. At no period of life can such works be read without
danger ; but in youth, particularly, before the mind is well
grounded in solid principles, and the heart formed to the
love and practice of virtue, awful, indeed, are the conse-
quences to which ihe reading of them must lead.
There are three classes of books, in particular, against
which the youthful reader should be seiiously warned :
those that endangei- faith ; those which corrupt the heart ;
and, liually, those light, ephemeral, and worthless produc-
tions, which serve only to fritter away time, and unfit the
mind for any serious study or occupation.
Faith is the foundation of evei'y virtue. " Without it, it
is impossible to please God." Its truths, resting on his ve-
racity, require our entire and unwavering assent. Whatever
tends to subvert or even weaken it, should be regarded
with abhorrence ; and yet how many works calculated to
destroy its influence, and shake our confidence in its evi-
dences, are constantly issuing from an inlidel press, and
are saized with avidity by many of our youthful readers.
Thiti experience of the last eighty years furnishes ample
testimony of tlie evils such books have caused : — the pros-
pects of individuals blasted; the peace of families destroy-
ed : the most horrible excesses perpetrated ; a mighty
nation revolutionized ; the whole frame of society unhinged;
and the blood of Europe poui'ed out upon her 2:)lains for a
quarter of a century : — all feelingly convince us of the
malignity of their influence. The youth who values his own
happiness and that of society, or who is desirous of promo-
ting his eternal interests, must never yield to the temptation
.M rc.uluig works of a dangerous or an irreligious tendency.
Eooks which taint the purity cf morals are many, — even
more, numerous than those dangerous to faith. They can
pe procured in every city ; they often lind then- way ev-en
into the bosom of well-regulated families ; they arrest the
attention of the youthful reader, inflaming his passions in
the retirement of home, and instilling their poison so silent-
ly, yet so eft'ectually, that they often corrupt their victim
before he pei'ceives their malignity. A boy. on leaving
school^ is I'emarkable for his modest and unassuming man-
ners ; his respect and veneration for his parents ; his af-
fectionate kindness to his brothers and sisters ; his devout
frequentation of the sacraments ; and his regular and edify-
ing discharge of every religious duty. A change comes on ;
the good impressions of his boyhood are gradually effaced ;
his neglect of business becomes daily more ajjparent ; he
no longer attends to his religious duties ; and, in the end,
THE CHOICE OF BOOKS. 389
he becomes a reprobate. To one bad book, incautiously
read, may be traced his first deviations from the path of
rectitude" in which he had trodden from childhood. Had
some friendly voice been raised in time to warn him against
reading that bad book, he might probably have persevered
till death in piety and innocence.
Nor is it alone against irmnoral works tint the youthful
reader should be cautioned. The reading of light, frivolous,
and trashy productions should also be discountenanced.
Works of this character waste time, enervate the mind,
untit it for serious and profitable study, and leave little
behind, save a weakened memory, and an understanding
ill suited to the realities of life. This is the more to be de-
plored, as there are so many works, such as history, biogra-
phy, geography, and so forth, which contain a large store
of information, and are at the same time highly interestmg.
A lady who gave much attention to the training up of
her children, never permitted them, when the season of
childhood was passed, to read works of fiction. She sup-
Ehed them with the narratives from the Holy Scripture,
iographies of the good and the great, who might serve as
models of vhtue or of industry ; and gradually directed
theu" minds to the study of scientific works suited to their
youthful capacities. They grew up an intelligent and well-
ordered family, remarkable for their good sense and
practical intelligence. A reverse of fortune soon showed
the value of the training they had received. Then* educa-
tion became to them a source of income, which enabled
them to surmount with honor and independence the diffi-
culties of their position.
What books, then, may be recommended to the intelli-
gent reader ? It is impossible, in a brief work of tliis land,
to point out all that may be found worthy of his perusal.
Among the many rehgious works are : — Abp. Kenrick's
Vindication of the Catholic Church ; Writings of Fenelon ;
Cardinal Wiseman's Doctrine of the Catholic Church, and
his Lectures on the Eucharist ; Abp. Manning's Temporal
Mission of the Holy Ghost ; Religion in .Society, by Martinet;
Abp. Spalding's Evidences of Catholicity; Father Hecker's
Questions of the Soul ; Eome, its Rules and Institutions,
by J. F. Maguire ; McLeod's History of the Devotion
to the Blessed Virgin Mary in North America; Abbe Orsini's
Life of the Blessed Vhgin, translated by Mrs. J. Sadlier ;
Bossuet's Exposition of the Doctrines of the Catholic
Church ; Dr. ChaUoner's Cathohc Christian Instructed :
De la Salle's Duties of a Christian; Faber's Bethlehem, Fool
390 CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
of the Gross, All for Jestis, &e.; Gobinet's Instructions for
Youth ; Introduction to a Devout Lii'e, by St. Francis de
S;iles : Liguori's Christian Vii'tues, Glories <<f Mary, and
The Commandments and Sacraments; The Sinner's Guide
by Father Lewis of Granada ; Allies' See of .'it. I'eter ; Tlie
Year of Mary : Think well On'tj The Bh-ssed Eucharist
our Greatest Treasure ; The Spu'itual Combat ; The Fol-
lowing of Christ ; The Lives of the Saints ; &c., &c.
These and numberless others of a like n iture will instruct
the reader in the doctrines of his religion and teach him
its obligations and its practice.
Some persons object to the Lives of the Saints, as a work
of general instruction, because the actions therein recorded
are not in some instances objects of imitation, and might
deter oi'dmary Cliristians from entering on a life of piety.
It is true, indeed, that God has raised up in his Church,
at every period of hei- history, chosen servants, whose
heroic deeds and noble sacriiices, lill us with astonish-
ment, but whose example, in many of their actions, we are
not required, nor even permitted, to follow. The reading
of then- "Lives" is, nevertheless, extremely useful. It
shows us what weak nature, aided by divine grace, is able
to accomplish •. and it stimulates us to discharge with fidel-
ity the comparatively little which God requires of us, in
our respective stations, seeing how much has been done
by persons like ourselves, to attain that everlasting hap-
piness which we hope one day to enjoy. Hence, it cannot
fail to be productive of great and permanent advantages.
Among the books containing much interesting historic
and literary information are the following : — lieeve's His-
tory of the Bible, and of the Christian Church; Darras'
General History of the Church; Spalding's History of the
Reformation, and his Miscellanea; Balmes' Protestantism
and Catholicity compared : Shea's Catholic Missions in the
United States ; Marshall's History of the Clii-istian Missions;
Bossuet's Universal History: Rollin's Ancient History;
Fredet's Ancient and Modern History; Bancroft's His-
tory of the United States; MacGeoghegan's, Haverty's,
O'Halloran's, or McGee's History of Ireland ; or again,
the excellent Illustrated History of Ireland by a mem-
ber of the Poor Clares; Lingard's History of England;
Jhateaubriand's Genius of Christianity, by Dr. White |
Maguire's Ii'ish in America; Fatlier Median's Lives oi
0 NkiH and O'Donei;: Life of St. Patrick by an Irish Priest ;
life of St. Columba', anvi the Monks of the West, by the
Count de Montalembert ; Tlie British Catholic Poets; Cham
LBTEBB wvLsnxa. 391
ber*s Cyolopsedia of English Literature ; Blair's Lectures on
Rhetoric and Celles-LettrGS ; Selectioiis from Addison and
other English Essayists.
For an occasional reading during leisure hours, and so
forth, we cannot too earnestly recommend the excellent
monthly magazmo entitled " The Catholic World." Tliis
periodical, so highly praised by the entire press of the
United States, is a real treasure to all those who have the
good fortune to be subscribers.
The beautiful and entertaining histories to be found in
the Illustrated Cathohc Sunday-School Library, Brother
James's Library, Young Catholic's Library, Sister Mary's
Library, Sadlier's Fireside Library, Young People's Library-
Parochial and Sunday-School Library, The Cottage and
Parlor Library, &c., besides afibrding agreeable reading-
matter, will leave salutary impressions on the mmds of our
youth who peruse them.
The youthful reader should be warned agamst the ordi-
nary fault of attempting to i-ead many books, A few, w<ell
and thoroughly read, will supply him with more useful
knowledge, and will prepare his mind better for future
acquisitions, than a great number read cursorily and su-
perficially. To read, then, with advantage, he should choose
a judicious guide to dii'ect him in the choice of books, and
read none without having first ascertained their character.
Above all he should never read novels, romances, and the
like. To peruse these and other light works that are being
daily poured forth from the press, not only wastes time,
but, what is far worse, as was said on a preceding page,
weakens the mind and tarnishes the soul. It is melancholy
to think of the amount of trash over which so many fine
intellects are constantly being debased. He sliould read
slowly, attentively, with reflection, and something every
day ; and though he may have but few books, and little
time to devote to them, he will very soon acquire a large
fund of knowledge, and be able every day to add to his
intellectual store.
CHAPTER XII.— rsUPPLEMENTARY.)
ON LETTER WHITING.
So frequent are the occasions on which it may be neces-
sary to communicate our thoughts in writing, that young
persons should spare no pains to acquire a facility in
English composition. This facility is productive of many
advantages. Besides the reflecting tone which it gives to
392 CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
tlie mind, and the great accuracy of expression 'o -which it
habituates, it is highly gratifying to its posse? :;or, a source
of delight to those with whom lie corresponds, and not un-
frequently a means of contributing to his own persional
advancement.
A young man, possessing some knowleds^e of business,
and nothing else, save a few letters of rel'erence^, »ntered
one of our citi«s, a few years since, inquest of em])loyment.
Seeing m one of the newspapers an advenisenient, announ-
cing that an assistant was wanted in amercantile establish-
m«nt, he ajiplied for the situation by lettei-, stating his
capabilil ^ tor the vacant situation. Un ascertaining that
the candidate was the writer of the letter, the proprietor
of ths estai)lishment at once engaged him. Another having
written an article for one of the public journals which at-
tracted some notice, obtained by its means, shortly aft^r,
a comparatively lucrative employment. Instances, too,
have occm-red in which, by means of written appeals, the
interests of public and private cliarities have been mate-
rially promoted, and even human life preserved.
The interchange of thought and feeling, of wliich letters
are the medium, is productive of one of the most rational
and delightful of our enjoyments. He who has felt the
pangs of separation from home and kindred, can best ap-
preciate the balm to the wounded spirit wliich an affec-
tionate letter administers ; and they who have felt and
mourned his absence, best can tell how great theu' delight
to learn, from his own hand, that he is well and happy,
after having escaped all the imaginai-y dangers which their
affectionate anxieties had created. The pleasures and
advantages, then, wliich letters afford, should influence
youth to devoto to this important and useful accomplish-
ment some portion of the spring-time of kfe. when a chaste
and beautiful style can be most easily acquired.
To write well, two things are necessar}' : a knowledge
of the principl<?3 of grammar, and some familiarity with
good English writers. If a young man has not learned
grammar at school, he should apply himself to study it.
He who has no knowledge of grammar, can neither speak
nor write without betraying his ignorance, and exposing
himself to the sneers and derisions of the cajotious or the
uncharitable ; and no amount of good sense can enthely
compensate for the want of it.
Among the several methods of acquiring a good and
pleasing style, transcription Is strongly recommended, lie-
producing % paragraph from meraoi-y. innnediatelf after
having road it, then comparing it with the oi-iginal, and
LETTER WRITIKG- 393
continuing it until a near resemblance is produced, is
another excell^'nt means of attaining this object. This,
however, requires patience, and a perseverance not always
to be met with. The most practical method, provided the
individual can spell correctly and construct sentences
grammatically, seems to be, to write his own reflections on
any subject he may have been readmg, with such facts as
may lead to its illustration. This, continued from day to
day, can. not fail to give great facility in the practice of
composition, and would tend to fix permanently in the
mind, the subjects on which it had been exercised.
The style should be simple, natural, and interesting,
free from everything affected or pedantic, and suited to
the subject and to the person addressed. With superiors,
it should be gi-ave and respectful ; with inferiors, affable
and Idnd ; and with equals, particularly our friends and
kindred, it should be easy, lively, and agreeable. Our
letters ought faithfully expr^i^s wh it v/e would say to our
correspondents were wo speaking to them. They ought,
howbver, to be written in term-i more polite if possible than
those used in conversation, because in writing we can more
easily weigh our expressions than in speaking.
As to the arrangement, — if the letter is to be written on
several topics, the most important should be reserved for
the last, so that the interest of the reader may be gradually
increased, and carried to its full height towards the close.
This, however, is subject to much modification, and must.
in a gi-eat measure, depeufi' on circumstances, and on the
turn of thought of the writer. When all the subjects are
well considered before one begins to write, each will be
likely to find its most appropriate place ; and there will be
no difficulty in the selection of suital)le expressions, when
a person possesses a clear view of his subject, and has been
for some time exercised in the reading of good writers, or
in the practice of composition.
Letters of business should be short, precise, and unequivo-
cal ; no preambles, no long details, everything clearly
ind distinctly stated, so as to leave no doubt of the inten-
tions of the writer, and no room for future misunderstand-
ing or litigation.
A letter requiring an answer should receive a prompt
reply. On this point politeness requires despatch.
The folding of a letter is a matter of consequence, "lie
most convenient and most generally adopted is that of
enclosmg the letter in an envelope. In this case, the letter
should be neatly folded to about the size of the envelopoi.
894 OHRISTIAX POLITKNESa.
and when enclosed sealed with red wax ; black wax is used
when the writer is in raoui-ning. Wafers aie generally
used for business letters.
It may here be observed, that on no account should any
one read a sealed or unsealed letter not addressed to him.
The secret of letters is sacred. If a letter, addressed to
another, be found open, the finder should seal it and for-
wai-d it to the party addressed. You sh )uld not pick up
a letter or other paper dropped in your presence, but
merely point it out to its owner.
From what has been said, it is abundantly evident, that
the writer of a letter should consider well baforehand what
he intends to write : should arrange liis subjects in order,
but without formality ; that the style should be simple,
unaffected, and suited to the subject, the folding and the
seaUng neat, and the signature and address written plainly
and legibly. Attention to thpse things in early life will soon
be formed mto a habit, .and prevent'much w.aste ofthnein
fifter yeai-s. It will render his letter a welcome gift to his
friends, and impress on liis correspondents a favorable
opinion of his politeness and ability.
GHAPTKR XIIL— (SUPPLEJIENTAHY.)
ON THE CHOICE Oi' COMPANIONS.
Fortunate would it have been for many now living, had
Bome warning voice admonis-ied them when young, to be
careful in the selection of coiup.inions. All t hit has been
eaid of books, may with equal truth be applied to associates.
They'mfluence, in a great degree, our temporal, and even
our eternal, welfare. We adopt their prmciples, imbibe
their sentiments, contract their habits, and often impercep-
tibly miitate their conduct. If good, they stimulate us to
the practice of virtue : if bad, they draw us into the very
depths of vice. It is related of a young man, that •while at
school he preserved an irreproachable character, but mix-
ing afterwards in bad society, he became notoriously wick-
ed, and died in despaii-, refusing the helps and consolations
©f religion ; and of another, who, having abandoned him-
self to a sinful Ufe^ was, without a moment's warning, struck
dead in the midst of his excesses. Many of the evils existing
among the younger portion of society, and many of the bad
habits, and consequent misfortune of the more advanc(;d,
maj% in some instances, be traced to the influence of bad
company.
THE OHOIOE OF COMPANIONS. 395
Companions aro frequently chosen on account of some
9.greeable qualities, and these sometimes of a very super-
ficial and dangerous character ; whilst those of intrinsic
excellence, and which alone can render a companion truly
valuable, aro either forgotten or disrogarded. A good and
safe companion is indeed a treasure, but to be such how
many moral and intellectual qualities are required I He
should be a consoler in affliction : a counsellor in doubt ;
a shield in temptation ; a visible guardian angel — guiding,
encouraging, and sustaining in the pursuit of virtue; ever
keeping, amidst the allurements of worldly vanities, the
eye of his young associate turned to that " better land,"
to which this is but a passage, and in which all his youthful
sacrilices shall be recompensed with an eternity of hapiji
ness.
A young person's fii'st and most ordinary associates
should be the memhers of his own family. He should
study to make home agreeable to himself, and to each of
its inmates, and be persuaded that the happiness which he
there enjoys, is purer and better than any he can find
elsewhei'e. How much may a young man do in the bosom
of his family, particularly if he be one of its elder mem-
bers, to promote its happiness, and contribute to its wel-
fare. He can comfort his parents in their domestic cares
and anxieties ; instruct and guide his brothers and sisters
in the paths of vh'tue and of knowledge ; he can, by his
kindness, courtesy, and polite attentions, increase the
happiness of each individual member of the household ;
and, by his encouragement of reciprocal kindness, draw
closer the ties of natural affection, which bind them all
together. He can, at the same time, enjoy that purest oi
earthly delights, the consciousness of having discharged
an exalted duty ; and be a sharer, to a large extent, in
the happiness resulting from the peace, union, and har-
mony which he will have been instrumental in establish-
mg. Happy, indeed, the family that possesses such a
member. He is precious as gold, and *' as things brought
irom afar," he is worthy the regard of angels and men.
If, besides the resources of enjoyment which he has in
his family and in his books, a young man seek other com-
panions, he must be very select in his choice, if he would
escape the dangers to which society exposes' him. His
Companions must be few, or they will often prevent him
from paying due attention to his business; not much
above him in station, or they will lead him into extravagant
expenses ; free from ignorance or vulgarity, or he will soon
396 CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
abandon them, or reduce himself to their level ; virtuous,
or they will lead liim into vice ; and practicaUj'^ religious,
or they will, by their maxims and conduct, draw him from
that regular attention to religious duties, without which
he cannot preserve the friendship of God, nor lay up
treasui'es for eternity.
Lst the young, then, choose companions if they will, but
let them be such only as are worthy of then* esteem and
confidence ; such as will not only promote their welfare
but contribute to their improvement ; and wliilst adding,
by theii' affectionate sympathies, to the i:)leasui'es of tliis
life, will encourage the discharge of those social and relig-
ious duties on wloich salvation so much depends. Ex-
amples of such companionship, though not ordinary, are
yet sometimes found.
Two young persons, who had formed a strong attach-
ment, read, every morning, a portion of the same book.
When they met in the evening they walked together, and
made their morning reading the lirst subject of their con-
versation. They thus acquired a large amount of useful
knowledge, and were enlightened by each other's refleo
tions. Their companionship became so great a source of
delight to both, that they looked for no other beyond their
respective families. They are now advanced in life, and
both look back on the evenings thus spent, as the happiest
in their life. Companionship such as this would be of in-
estimable value. It would enligliten the understanding,
improve the heart, lay the foundation of virtuous senti-
ments, and of peaceful and retu'ing habits. In such com-
panionship there would be no loss of time, no neglect of
business, no estrangement from family, no frequentiag of
taverns, no extravagant expenses, no danger of corrup-
tion, no risk of salvation, nor any of those vain, dangerous,
and often criminal amusements, which the young unfor-
tunately indulge in, and of which, sooner or later, many
become the victims.
" Let every one carefully avoid bad company," says M.
Collet, " for in bad company the innocent become per-
verse, and the wicked are confirmed in their disorders.
Such as associate with the wicked must expect to be in-
volved in their fate.
■' Be not deceived: evil communications coiTupt good man-
ners. A little leaven corrupts the whole paste. The grace of
Baptism, which has regenerated us ; the sacrament of
Conlu'uiation, which has given us the Holy Ghost, with
the abundance of his gifts; Penance, which, re-estabUsb-
THB OFIOIOE OP COMPAJIIONS. 397
ing our strength, has commimicated to us a fresh sup'
ply; the flesh of Jesus Christ, which, to speak the language
of the holy Fathers, has deilicd us ; all these favors have
made us children of God, and placr-d between us and the
ehildren of darkness a barrier which shall subsist eternal-
ly. What agreement, then, can exist between justice and
iniquity, between light and darkness, between Jesus Clirist
and Belial ?
'' Rely not on your virtues, nor on the natural horror you
feel for certain excesses. In a week or two, perhaps in a single
day, or even less, the edifice which you thought the most
solidly established, may be undermined.
" Alipius, so celebrated in the ' Confessions' of St. Au-
gustine, had naturally an extreme horror of those cruel
spectacles in wliich the Romans took a savage delight.
Some young friends of his, who, like himself, were study-
ing the law, having met him accidentally, resolved to con-
duct him to the amphitheatre. They laid hold of him with
that sort of violence which friendship seems to authorize ;
but he said to them : ' you may fo)-ce my body and place
me on the steps of the circus, but you cannot control
either my mind or my eyes, which shall assuredly take no
part in the spectiicle. Thus I shall be there as if I were
absent ; and by this means I shall be superior to the vio-
lence which you offer me, and the passion wliich enslaves
you.' Despite these protestations, Alipius was dragged to
the spectacle, and wliile the whole amphitheatre abandoned
itself to these barbarous pleasures, Alipius forbade his heart
to take any part in them, and kept his eyes shut. ' And
would to God,' says St. Augustine, to whom we are indebted
for this account, ' that he had kept his ears shut also ; for.
hearing a loud cry, he yielded so far to curiosity as to open
his eyes ; but that was enough to inflict on his soul a for
more deadly wound than that which a comliatant had just
then received.' Thus his heart, more presumptuous than
strong, and weak in proportion as it relied on itself rather
than on God, was in a moment grievously wounded. Cruel-
ty crept into it at the bare sight of blood ; and Alipius,
instead of turning away his eyes from the sanguinary spec-
tacle, kept them fixed intently upon it. Drinking down
ferocity in large draughts without perceiving it, he became
intoxicated with this brutal pleasure, and was no longer the
same man who had been carried thither by force, but a
man of the same character as those who composed the as-
Bembly. He returned home with such ardor for these in-
human spectacles, that he longed for nothing more than to
398 CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
be present at them; and not only was he desuous of going
to the amphitheatre again, but he even conducted others
to it.
" * After such a relapse/ continues St. Augustine, ' what
could help him to rise but the hand of thy mercy, O my
God ! and this alone effected it. Thou didst teach him to
confide no more in any other than in thyself, and never to
depend upon his own strength : but it vras not tiU long
after. However, he always presei'ved the 1 litter recollection
of this occurrence, which, while it recalled to his remem-
brance his jaast weakness, served him as a preservative
against futui-e frailties.' ''
The pious and learned Rollin* proposes the holy friend
ship which subsisted between St. Gregory Nazianzen and
St. Basil for the instruction of j'^oung persons. " They had, ' '
he says, " all the qualifications th;it make children ami-
able : beauty of person, charms of mind, mildness, and
politeness of manners.
" Then' education was such as may be imagined in fami-
lies where piety was herecUtai-y, if I may be allowed the
expression ; and whose fiithers, mothers, brothers, sisters,
and grandfathers, on both sides, were saints.
"The happy dispositions with which God had been pleased
to favor them, they cultivated with all care and assi-
duity. After they had completed their studies at home,
they were sent separately into the cities of Greece which
were then in greatest repute for learning, and placed under
the tuition of the most excellent masters.
'' At last they met again at Athens. We know that this
city was then the theatre and centre of polite learning and
erudition. It was likewise, in a manner, the cradle of the
renowned friendship which subsisted between our two
samts ; and the following extraordinary occurrence served
very much to strengthen, confirm, and perpetuate it. A
strange custom existed at Athens relative to such scholars
as were new comers. The students began liy introducing
them mto a numerous assembly of j-^ouths like themselves,
and there they exposed them to all imaginable raillery and
insolence, after which they led them across the city in
procession, conducted by all the boys, marching two by
two before them. When they came to the place appointed,
the whole company stopped, sot up a loud shout, and
acted as if they would break open the gates.
'When the new comer had there been admitted, ho
• Belles-Lettrts. vol. iv-
U1
THB OHOIOB OF 0OMPAKION3. 399
was restored to liberty. Gregory, who came first to Athens,
saw how opposite this ridiculous practice would be to the
grave and serious character of Basil, and having great in
fluence with his companions, he got them to dispense with
it in favor of his friend. "This it was,' says St. Gregory, in
the admirable account he gives of the matter, ' which began
to kindle in us that fl uiie which has never since been ex-
tinguished, and which pierced our hearts with a dart that
is fixed there for ever. Happy Athens,' he cries out, 'thou
(jource of all my felicity! I went hither only to acquire
knowledge, and I found there the most precious of all my
treasures — an affectionate and faithful friend.'
''•This relation, formed and begun as I have now men
tioned, grew every day stronger and stronger ; especially
when these two friends, who kept nothing seci-ctTi-om
each other, reciprocally laying open their hearts, discerned
they had both the same end in view, and sought for the
same treasure, namely, wisdom and virtue. They lived
under the same roof, ate at the same table, had the same
exercises and amusements, and were, properly speaking,
one and the same soul; 'a marvellous union," says St.
Gregory, ' which cannot be really produced by any other
than a chaste and Christian fr'*^ndship.
" 'We both alike aspired to knowledge, — an object the
most capable of raising sentiments of envy and jealousy,
and yet we were absolutely exempt from that subtle and
malicious passion, and experienced no other than a noble
emulation. Each of us had a liigher sense of the glory of
his friend than of Ms own, and sought not to gain the
superiority, but to yield to the other.
" ' Our principal study and only end was virtue. We
strove to make our friendslup eternal by preparing our-
selves for a blessed immortality, and by withdrawing our-
selves more and moi-e from the tilings of this world. We
took the word of God for om' conductor and guide ; we
served as mastei's and overseers one to the other, by
mutually exhorting each other to the practice of piety ;
and I might say that we were a kind of rule to each other,
whereby to discern truth from falsehood, and good from
evil.'
'' " We had no conversation with .such of our companions
as were rude, passionate, or immoral ; we associated only
with such as by their modesty, circumspection, and wis-
dom, might assist and support us m the good designs we
had formed ; fully aware that bad examples, like conta
gious diseases, are easily communicated.'
400 CHRISTIAN POLITENESS.
/
"Tliese two saints, as we cannot too often repeat to youth,
were always distinguished among tlieir companions by their
diligence and labor, by the extraordinary success they had
in all their studies, by the ease and readiness with which
they acquired all the sciences taught at Athens ; — polite
learning, poetry, eloquence, and philosophy. But they
were still more distmguished by the innocence of then-
manners, which was alarmed at the sight of the least dan-
ger, ;ind dreaded even the shadow of vice. i
•• A dream which St. Gregory had when he was very
young, of which he has left us an elegant description in
verse, contributed very much to insi'ire liim with these
noble sentiments. As he slept he tiiought he saw two
virgms, of the same ago and of equal beauty, clothed in a
modest manner, and without any of those ornaments of
which ladies are usually fond. Their eyes were tixed upon
the ground, and their countenance covered with a veil.
'The sight of them," 6ays,th9 samt, 'filled me with joy,
for they seemed to have somethhig in them more than
himian. When I asked them who they were, one told me
she was Purity, and the other Continence ; both the compan-
ions ofJesus Christ and the friends of those who renounced
marriage to lead a heavenly life. They exhorted me to
join my heart and mind to theirs, that being decked with
the glory of virginity, they might present me before the
light of the immortal Trinity After these words, they
flew up to Heaven, and my eyes followed them as far as
they could.'
"' All this, indeed, was but a dream, but it made a last-
ing unpression on the heart of the saint. He never forgot
the agreeable image of chastity, and recalled it with plea-
sui-e. 'It was, "he says hunself, ' a spark of fu-e, which,
increasing by degrees, enkindled in me the love cf perfect
continence.'
" Both Basil and Gregory had great need of this virtue,
to defend themselves amidst the perils with which they
were surrounded at Athens, wliich then, of all cities, pre-
sented the greatest dangers to morality, on account of the
vast concourse of foreign students, who brought with them
to this city their vices and irregularities. * But,' says St
Gregury, ' we had the happiness of experiencing, in that
corrupt city, something like what the poets tell of a river
which preserves the sweetness of its waters ainid the salt-
ness of the sea, and of an animal which lives in the midst
of lire. We shunned the conversation and society of the
bad ; we knew only two streets in Athens — that which led
THE OaOIOZ OF COMPANIONS. 401
'o lh« rhurcii, ajid that which led to the schools. As to
entertainments, spectacles, assemblies, and festivals, we
were absolutely ignorant of them.'
" One might naturally suppose that youths of this char-
acter, who kept aloof from society, who took no part in
any of the pleasures and diversions of those of their own
age, and whoso pure and innocent lives were a continual
oensure of the iiTCgularities of their school-fellows, must
have been disagreeable to them, and the object of their
hatred, or, at least, of their contempt. It was quite other-
wise, however ; and notliing is n*iore glorious to the mem-
ory of these two illustrious saints, nor, I would venture
to say, reflects more honor upon piety itself, than such an
event. Their virtue must indeed have been very pure,
and their conduct very wise and discreet, thus to win for
them the esteem, respect, and love of all then- compan-
ions.
"This was seen in a remarkable manner when it was
reported that they were about to i^eturn into their own
country. The grief was universal; cries and lamentations
were heard on all sides, and tears flowed from every eye.
The people were about to lose the honor of their city, the
glory of their schools. Masters and scholars, adding force
and violence to entreaties and compliments, protested
that they would not consent to their departure. One of
the two friends could not help yielding to this extraordi-
nary solicitation, which might rather be called a conspira-
cy to detain him. This was Gregory ; and one may easily
judge how much he was concerned at it.
" I question whether it is possible to imagine more per-
fect models for youth than those I have now laid before
them. In them we lind united all the circumstances that
can render youth amiable and estimable ; — nobility of
birth, great intellectual acquirements, and incredible ar-
dor for study, wonderful success in all the sciences, polite
and elegant manners, a surprising modesty in the midst of
public applause, and, what infinitely sets off all these qual-
ifications, a piety and fear of God which evil examples
only improved and confirmed. We may read an admirable
character of these two great saints in M. du Guefs Let-
ters, expressly written for the use of the scholars who wer*
to answer upon some of their discourses.
"Besides the examples of some illustrious Christian
sauits. such as the two I have mentioned, it may bo proper
for young persons to take a view of those that are to be
found in tlie Holy Scripture. They will there find the
402 CHRISTIAN POLITBNB8S.
youthful Samuel, by his piety and virtue aJifee agreeable to
God and men. And the child Saviuel grew tip, and was
in faror with the Lord^ and also with men." They will
there admii-e a holy king who at eight years of age, follow-
ing the example of David, was ever careful to please God
in all he did. And he did that which was right in the sight
of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of David his father.^
They will there see Tobias, J after he had spent his youth
in innocence, avoiding the company of such as sacrificed
to the golden calves, showing nothing childish in his be-
havior, and keeping with all exactness the injunctions of
the law from his infancy. They will, I say, see him edu-
cating his son in the same manner, by teaching him from
his earliest youth to fear God, and abstain from every sin.
They will be surprised to find, long before Christianity, a
courage truly heroic and Christian in the seven brothers,
the Machabees, who all died by the most cruel torments
rather than transgress the law of God. We are ready to
die rather than ti'ansgress the laws of God, received from our
fathe)-s.§
"But they must principally imbibe their sentiments
from the very fountain of holiness and piety, that is, from
Jesus Christ our Lord, who, to sanctify childhood and youth,
was pleased to become a child, and afterwards, to set an
example to all persons of the several virtues which they
should practise, by his exactness in going up to the temple
at the appointed times ; by his diligence in hearing the
doctors ; by the wisdom and modesty of his manners ; by
his application to do the work of his Father, and to execute
his orders without consulting flesh and blood -, by his per-
fect submission to his parents ; and lastly, by the care he
took in showing before God and man, in proportion as he
advanced in years, a visible progi-ess in grace and wisdom,
the plenitude of which he had received from the first mo-
ment of his hicarnation."
» 1 Samuel, ii, 26. f 2 Kings, xxii, 2. J Tobias, i. § 2 Mac, vii, a
THE SCHOLAK'S REGUlJkTION
Dunng Vacation.
" 'Whosoever shall follow this rule, peace
on them aud meroy." (OaL, vi, 16.)
Vacation being a time in which scholars are greatly exposed to
become relaxed in, their religious duties, and even to fall into the abyss
of Bin, a child will vainly expect to remain faithful in the midst of the
snares and temptations that beset him on every side unless he is pro-
vided with a rule of conduct which will continually remind him of his
duties. The following may be found beneiicial •—
EACH DAY .—1. Rise early. Unless you are ill, never be found in
bed lalerthan six o'clock. Sleep taken by night reposes, that of the
morning enervates. Clothe yourself quickly and modestly ; never
appear in tlie presence of others until you are decently dressed.
2. Say your morning prayers without delay. Prayer, according to St.
Augustuie, is a golden key that unbolts the gates of Heaven. Never
leave your bedroom before having acquitted yourself of this lirst duty
''fi'^ety- , „ . .^.. ... ,
3. If in your power, assist at Mass every morning; this will draw
down Ileaven's choicest favors on yourself and your parents. Let no
day j>ass by without rendering your tribute of honor to the Blessed
Virgin; for this end say the " Hail Holy Queen," the " Memorare,"
your beads, etc. You should also be specially devoted to St. Joseph,
your Guardian Angel, and Patron Saint. Ask of God, through their
interce.ssion, the grace to know your vocation. (.See St. Patrick's
Manual, on the Study of Vocation, page 374.)
4. Allot a portion of each day to serious study : if you neglect ihis
the consequence shall be— a loss of knowledge, a disgust for study, an
atiection for idleness and so forth.
5- Be exact to say grace before and after meals : observe the rules ol
etiquette at table which are to be found in Ch. VI. Christian Politeness
6 Make a short lecture every day in some pious book. When we pray,
says St. Ambrose, we speak to God, and when wo read books of piety
God speaks to us. (See Christian Politeness, Ch. XI, on the choice of
books.)
7. Finish the day by the evening prayers and examination of con-
science. If the laudil^le practice of saying the prayers iucommon is not
the custom, retire into your chamber to acquit yourself of this duty.
EACH WEEK.-l. Sanctify the Sunday and Holidays by pious and
charitable works. Make it a conscientious duty to assist at the
Parochial, or High Mass. Listen to the sermon with the greatest atten-
tion. How agreeable to see a boy on returning from Church, being able
to repeat almost all that the Priest has said in his sermon.
2 Never absent yourself from Catechism or Vespers When a ler-t-
imate cause prevents your attending, supply the omission by prayers
and pious reading.
EACH MONTH.— 1. Approach the Sacraments of Penance and
Eucharist as often as during the scholastic year Prepare yourself
most diligently for their reception (See St. PatbIck's Mandal, pagea
73 and 119) ., „
2. On the day you have the happiness to communicate, avoid all
distracting company and amusements Frequently raise your heart
to God in ebon acts of thanksgiving ; and. if possible, pay a visit to the
Blessed Saerament towards evening (St. P's. M.-258.)
404 THE scholar's REGiri.ATION.
DUTIES IN THE FAMILY CIRCLE.-l. Entertain a sovereifin
resDcct lor your beloved parents ; consider their company as the ceniie
and rnincipal source of your happiness during vacation. Aiiticiiuiio
their every want and make it your asrccable duty to cxccutu then'
behests with tlio utmost alacrity- Beware of imitating; tho=e wickel
children who, instead of being the joy and bliss of their parents. »;e a
Bourco of sorrow and affliction to them.
:;. Receive their oourisels. admonitions and so forth, as eominj: from
God. whose reiirescntativos tliey are.
.'!. Never dare to lass the slightest censure on their coni'.uct ; if yo''.
believe it blamablc, leave all to the .iudt,'ment of (jod and pray with
more ardor for their eternal salvation.
4. Let the greatest liarniony reign between you and your sisters and
brothers. If older tlian they, you slionld be an angel of |icace in their
raidst.^consoling thcni in their little troubles, instructing them in their
duties, and edifying them at all times and on all occasions.
GENERAL DLSPOSITION.S.— 1. Remembfr that there is no vaca-
tion in the service of God, and that we owe Uim at all times, respect,
gratitude, and love ; for ile loves us, blesses us, and continually takes
eare of us.
2- Remember, also, that the devil takes no vacation ; that he prowls
incessantly about us like a roaring lion : and that he can be overcome
but by prayer, huuiillty. difTidcnco in self, and confidence in God.
3. Avoid idleness. "• In doing nothing." says .Seneea, '• wo learn to
do evil-" The time of ycnilh is too precious to be spent in indolence
Labor is a noble flower from which we may expect the richest fruit.
4- Associate with those persons only who are of orderly habits ; shun
Buch as are too loose in conversation, such as use unbecoming words, or
that profess maxiuis little in conformity to the spirit of the Gospel
See Ch. XIII. Christian Politeness on the Choice of Comp.anions.
5. If you have tiic misfortune to commit any grievous fault, delay
not toconfess it- When poison has remained for some time in a vase,
it infects it to such .a degree that it becomes almost impossible to
purify it. Exactly the same happens to the soul that has become the
abode of mortal sin. Confess, then, immediately, and defer not your
return to God until the reopening of the school, and still less till th«
time of the retreat. I\Iako known to your confessor all your pains and
temptations that he may prescribe the proper remedies.
6- If you would avoid sin, flee the occasions thereof- A dangerous
companion is the right eye, the right hand, that you must pluck out, or
cutoff, and cast far from you- Keep strict watch over your senses;
they are the doors through which the demon enters and destroys the
soul.
\\'hat a thrice happy vacation shall the child spend who is faithful to
these advices 1 What consolation for his beloved parents, and edifica-
tion for his companions 1 How abundantly he shall bo rewarded
for the little sacrifices he will have made! When vacation is over,
witli what earnestness he shall return to his studies, — his conscience
unsullied, his heart at liberty, his soul in peace. Of such a child we
m: y truly say : '' lie shall be like a tree planted near the running
waters, which sliall bring forth its fruit in due season." (Ps. I« 3-)
,f:
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